Yacht Crew Job Scam Survey

The Professional Yachting Association is a not-for-profit organisation which represents the interests of yacht crew worldwide.

We are hearing increased reports of job scams in the industry and have launched this survey to try and assess the extent of the problem. Once we have analysed the results, we will publish them along with guidance on how not to be caught out.

Please note, if any personal or identifiable details are shared during the survey, these will not be included in the final report.

If you would like to report a job scam, please email our team at info@pya.org.

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* 1. What is your gender

Male

Female

Other (please specify)

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* 2. What is your job role onboard?

Captain

Mate

Bosun

Deckhand

Engineer

Stewardess

Purser

Chef

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Are you currently employed on a vessel?

Yes

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* 4. How do you search for a new yachting job?

Facebook groups

Online job boards (e.g. Yotspot)

Recruitment agencies

Dock walking

Word of mouth

Other (please specify)

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* 5. Have you ever been approached by a job scammer or applied for a job which turned out to be a scam?

Yes

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* 6. If yes in answer 5, please state how you found the job?

Online job board

Facebook group

Recruitment agent

Dock walking

Word of mouth

I was contacted directly by the recruiter (scammer)

Other (please specify)

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* 7. Where was the location of the job?

Europe/ Mediterranean

USA

Caribbean

Middle East

Indian Ocean

Asia

Australia/New Zealand

Other (please specify)

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* 8. After the initial job advert or contact from the recruiter, did you proceed with the job application or did you stop the application process when you realised it might be a scam?

Yes, I proceeded with my application but found out later it was a scam.

No, I didn't continue with the recruitment process because I immediately thought it was the scam.

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* 9. If you stopped the application, what made you think it was a scam?

The job advert wasn't written well

I didn't recognise the recruitment agent or person

The job description didn't match the typical demands of my job role

The salary didn't fit industry standard

The location of the vessel wasn't typical for the industry and time of year

Other (please specify)

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* 10. If you proceeded with the job application, did you attend an interview?

Yes, via telephone

Yes, via Skype/Zoom/Video Call

Yes, in person

No, we just communicated via email/text

No, there was no interview before I was offered a job.

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* 11. During the interview, did you experience anything inappropriate?

Yes

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* 12. If yes, please specify

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* 13. Did you travel to the vessel, or attempt to travel to the vessel?

Yes

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* 14. If yes, when travelling or arriving at the vessel, did you experience anything inappropriate or was there anything obvious which made you realise it was a scam?

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* 15. Did you report the incident to the police

Yes

Other (please specify)

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* 16. If you've been a victim of a job scam and the above questions have not covered the details of your incident, please provide a brief summary or, if you wish, email us at info@pya.org.