There are websites in which it is very difficult to detect scams because they are internet portals in which there is no filter and when you arrive at your destination you find a very different situation to what you had imagined.
There are agencies, on the other hand, that are basically dedicated to managing profiles without any kind of study or analysis. Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you 5 reliable steps to detect if you can trust an Au Pair agency.
Follow these tips 👇 and don’t be fooled by just anyone!
5 steps to know if an Au Pair agency is reliable and professional
Sometimes we receive people who tell us that their experience has not been what they imagined and it is because they did not do the Au Pair Programme with a specialised agency. There are people who are looking for other objectives than the ones we expect. They will even take something you want, such as travelling or other experiences, to get your attention or your personal details, in order to make some kind of profit.
They seek to profit in many ways, but the most commonly used is through the internet and social media. They are people whose way of communicating through the networks is very simple, as they try to resemble the steps of the professionals of an agency in order to capture your attention.
On occasions we have been told that they have asked for personal bank details for “first charges” or even that the supposed host family asks you for money to “help them”. In any case, we are going to tell you how to find out about these situations in 5 steps.
The following tips will help you to have an idea of what a legal Au Pair company is, we will give you the guidelines so that you can decide why you have to make your experience with an Agency belonging to the IAPA (International Au Pair Association)
Reliability of the company
To know if a company is reliable, you must first have information about it. Even if you have already taken the step of contacting them, there is no harm in looking for information about the company on the internet, social networks and Google. Nowadays online reputation is vital for any kind of business.
Social media
Just as you do a “stalking” of the company, it is also convenient that you do it of their social networks. Sometimes, Social Media are more effective at finding true information about companies than their own websites.
Here it is also important to know what others are saying about it, if it has good comments on Google, who its followers are, etc. The more you know about it, the better it will be to form an idea in your head.
But… be careful! If an Au Pair company or host family contacts you through a social network, do not give out your personal details. There are always agencies that offer you the security of your data and where it is easier to do the paperwork to be able to go as an Au Pair to another country.
Don’t send money in advance
The main thing about scammers is that they ask you for money in advance. Even if you do the service of being an Au Pair in another country, they think they can make a profit. Only professional agencies can tell you to do this in order to book a place in a language school or for the agency’s own procedures.
Sometimes, in order to get your attention, they offer salaries that are too high on average with too few working hours. Here you should have done the first step, look for information from other companies to compare services and realise that all that glitters is not gold.
Appointment for a video call
Normally, this type of person does not go as far as making a video call. That’s why this is one of the key differentiators between a fake company and a professional Au Pair Agency. Once you get the first contact with your host family proposed by your agency, you will be able to do an interview with them and check their social networks.
The contract/agreement
Finally, you will receive the contract that you and the host family must sign. Here you should find a number of things such as:
- Duration of the stay.
- Start and end of the contract.
- Salary.
- Holidays.
- Responsibilities as an Au Pair.
- Clauses such as cancellation of the contract.
In any case, Kidowe is at your disposal to provide you with all this information.
For Kidowe our motivation is that our Au Pairs are our best ambassadors, that’s why we carry out personalized profile studies to find the best family. We work with the best international agencies so that you don’t have any problems and if you do, we will solve them as quickly as possible. We want your peace of mind and that your experience as an Au Pair abroad will be one of the best of your life.
What are you waiting for to make your dream come true? Contact us!
