Desperate Job Seekers Lured into Scam Jobs on TikTok
Lilian, a 35-year-old Kenyan living in Qatar, was scrolling through her TikTok feed when she saw job ads from a recruitment agency offering overseas jobs. WorldPath House of Travel, with over 20,000 followers, promised hassle-free work visas for jobs across Europe. The agency showed Lilian fake work permits and envelopes claiming they had already received Europe visas.
After transferring a one-year's savings of 150,000 Kenyan shillings (£870), Lilian received a document from a Netherlands-based recruitment agency, Undutchables, offering her the role of "fruits and vegetable sorter" in Amsterdam. However, WorldPath House of Travel is not registered with Kenya's National Employment Authority, and its partnership with Undutchables is nonexistent.
As months went by, Lilian realized she had been duped. WorldPath ignored her repeated requests for a refund and claimed their phone number was out of service. The agency has since closed its office and social media accounts, leaving numerous victims in its wake.
According to reports, at least one TikToker faced criminal charges after soliciting money from dozens of Kenyans for bogus foreign jobs. Kenya's Ministry of Labour and Social Protection released a list of over 30 blacklisted agencies, but unregistered recruiters continue to proliferate on the platform.
Halisi Affiliates, founded in December 2023, used TikTok to advertise jobs across Europe and North America as an unregistered recruiter. The company told the Guardian it was "a victim of fraud by an overseas third-party partner" and had closed its office due to internal review but denied any connection to a new TikTok account with the same name.
Six Kenyans who lost money to such agencies shared their stories, paying between 100,000 and 545,000 Kenyan shillings to recruiters. Some had borrowed from family and friends or sold cattle to cover commission fees for jobs that never materialized. The experience left them "devastated" and financially drained.
The recruitment industry is rife with scams on TikTok, preying on desperate job seekers who are struggling due to stagnant economies and unemployment rates of nearly 17%. The Kenyan government's efforts to facilitate labor export have only led to more exploitation of its citizens.
Lilian, a 35-year-old Kenyan living in Qatar, was scrolling through her TikTok feed when she saw job ads from a recruitment agency offering overseas jobs. WorldPath House of Travel, with over 20,000 followers, promised hassle-free work visas for jobs across Europe. The agency showed Lilian fake work permits and envelopes claiming they had already received Europe visas.
After transferring a one-year's savings of 150,000 Kenyan shillings (£870), Lilian received a document from a Netherlands-based recruitment agency, Undutchables, offering her the role of "fruits and vegetable sorter" in Amsterdam. However, WorldPath House of Travel is not registered with Kenya's National Employment Authority, and its partnership with Undutchables is nonexistent.
As months went by, Lilian realized she had been duped. WorldPath ignored her repeated requests for a refund and claimed their phone number was out of service. The agency has since closed its office and social media accounts, leaving numerous victims in its wake.
According to reports, at least one TikToker faced criminal charges after soliciting money from dozens of Kenyans for bogus foreign jobs. Kenya's Ministry of Labour and Social Protection released a list of over 30 blacklisted agencies, but unregistered recruiters continue to proliferate on the platform.
Halisi Affiliates, founded in December 2023, used TikTok to advertise jobs across Europe and North America as an unregistered recruiter. The company told the Guardian it was "a victim of fraud by an overseas third-party partner" and had closed its office due to internal review but denied any connection to a new TikTok account with the same name.
Six Kenyans who lost money to such agencies shared their stories, paying between 100,000 and 545,000 Kenyan shillings to recruiters. Some had borrowed from family and friends or sold cattle to cover commission fees for jobs that never materialized. The experience left them "devastated" and financially drained.
The recruitment industry is rife with scams on TikTok, preying on desperate job seekers who are struggling due to stagnant economies and unemployment rates of nearly 17%. The Kenyan government's efforts to facilitate labor export have only led to more exploitation of its citizens.
I'm literally shaking my head thinking about all these people getting scammed on TikTok! 
These agencies are taking advantage of people who are really struggling to make ends meet, and it's just not cool 
. The fact that WorldPath House of Travel is a complete fake agency with no connection to Undutchables is wild 
. Something needs to be done about these scammers and their tactics - we need more protection for people who are just trying to find a better life 
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. These agencies are preying on people who really need a job, you know? They're taking advantage of desperation and using it against them 
. I don't think we should blame the recruitment industry as a whole, though - there must be some legit ones out there too 
. And what's with all these blacklisted agencies being created overnight? It feels like they're just getting shut down before they can even do any real harm 
. We need to find a way to help these people and make sure they get the support they need 
.
. lilian was so gullible, she transferred her life savings thinking she'd get a job in europe... meanwhile, the agency just disappeared and left her with nothing 
. it's like they know how desperate people are for work, so they prey on that 
. the kenyan government needs to step up and regulate these agencies better, or at least warn people about the scams 
. i mean, who uses tiktok to find a job without doing their research? 
it's just not worth the risk...
. The fact that WorldPath House of Travel is still operating despite being blacklisted by the Kenyan government is a red flag 
.
️. We can't keep allowing scammers to take advantage of people who just want a chance at a better life 
. Let's shine a light on these scams and support our fellow citizens who have been affected by them 
.
I'm not saying it's WorldPath House of Travel's fault or anything, they did seem legit at first, right? 
I mean, who checks if an agency is registered with the National Employment Authority before transferring all their savings? 
And what's with these agencies just closing up shop and leaving their victims in the lurch? 
It's like they vanished into thin air! 
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. And what really gets my goat is that these agencies know exactly how to manipulate people with fake documents and convincing ads. It's just ridiculous 
. The Kenyan government needs to step up its game and protect its citizens from these scammers. This can't keep happening, especially when we have so many talented and capable people trying to make a living 
she's not the only one, it's like these agencies are popping up left and right on tiktok with fake job ads and promise of easy work visas 
what's even more disturbing is that they're preying on people who are desperate for a job due to stagnant economies and high unemployment rates 
this is so crazy! i mean, i've seen some weird recruitment ads on tiktok before, but this is just wild. someone's making a killing off these desperate people 
.
. can't let scammers just run wild like this 
.
. and what's with all these agencies closing down without any consequences? it's like they're just ghosting their victims 
. anyway, i think the solution is for tiktok to up its game when it comes to monitoring and reporting suspicious accounts. we need more transparency in this recruitment process 
.
And not having registered agencies is just a red flag 
Like come on, do your research before sending over that money 
Make sure these recruitment agencies are legit and protected from scammers 