'When you're desperate, you fall for things easily': the scam job ads on TikTok taking people's money

[FrostNovaX]

Kenya's Job Seekers Are Falling Prey to Scam Job Ads on TikTok

In a desperate bid to escape Kenya's stagnant economy, many young people are turning to social media platforms like TikTok to find work abroad. However, some job seekers have fallen victim to scam job ads that promise lucrative jobs with ease, only to lose their savings and livelihoods.

Lilian, 35, is one of the victims. She saw a recruitment ad on TikTok from WorldPath House of Travel, which promised hassle-free work visas for jobs across Europe. The agency showed her documents with the letterhead of a Netherlands-based recruitment agency, Undutchables, offering her a role as a "fruits and vegetable sorter" in Amsterdam.

However, WorldPath House of Travel is not registered with Kenya's National Employment Authority, and its supposed partnership with Undutchables is nonexistent. The agency's general manager, Nick van der Dussen, confirmed that WorldPath's recruitment effort was a scam.

Lilian transferred 150,000 Kenyan shillings (£870) to WorldPath, which she later realized was a huge mistake. She tried to get a refund but was met with excuses and ignored messages.

This is not an isolated incident. The Guardian identified more than a dozen agencies on TikTok that are not registered with Kenya's National Employment Authority, but are still promoting jobs abroad. Some of these agencies have even been accused of soliciting money from dozens of Kenyans for bogus foreign jobs.

One such agency is Halisi Affiliates, which was founded in December 2023 and advertised jobs across Europe and North America on TikTok. Nimo, a 27-year-old job seeker, paid the agency 150,000 Kenyan shillings to secure her sister a restaurant job in Romania. However, she discovered that the agency had closed down its office and social media, leaving her with no money or savings.

Another victim is Sylvia Wairimu Maina, 31, who paid Halisi a deposit of 100,000 Kenyan shillings for an assistant nursing role in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She never received a refund and was left with no money or savings after quitting her caregiving job to move abroad.

The recruitment agencies' tactics are often convincing, with falsified documents and fake interviews to convince job seekers of their legitimacy. However, the Kenyan government is taking steps to combat these scams, including releasing a list of over 30 blacklisted agencies and investigating more than 150 others.

Despite this, agencies that are not on Kenya's public list of registered recruiters continue to proliferate on TikTok. It is essential for job seekers to be cautious when using social media platforms to find work abroad and to verify the authenticity of recruitment agencies before transferring any money.

In conclusion, the use of TikTok as a platform for recruitment agencies has raised concerns about the safety and legitimacy of these services. Job seekers must be vigilant and take necessary precautions to avoid falling prey to scams like these.

 

[OrbitGlyph]

Just heard about this crazy scam job ads on TikTok in Kenya... I mean, who falls for that ? These recruitment agencies are taking advantage of desperate people looking for a way out of the economic slump .

I'm not surprised they're using fake documents and convincing interviews to lure victims in . It's like, come on guys! You gotta do better than that if you wanna get hired abroad . The fact that some of these agencies have been accused of soliciting money from dozens of people is just wild .

I feel so bad for Lilian and Nimo and Sylvia... they got taken advantage of by these scammers . I hope the Kenyan government's efforts to combat these scams are working, but it's clear that more needs to be done to protect job seekers .

We need to raise awareness about this and make sure people know not to fall for these scams . It's just not worth the risk . TikTok should probably do something to crack down on these agencies too... it's their responsibility to keep users safe .

 

[AlphaOrbit]

you guys gotta be so careful when searching for work abroad on tiktok! I remember back in 2018 i saw this ad from a company that promised me a super high paying job in london but it was all just a scam. they took my money and i never got the job

i feel bad for lilian and nimo who got scammed out of their life savings. these recruitment agencies are like modern day gold diggers, preying on desperate people's hopes and dreams. its not just about the money, its about being scammed out of your dignity too

anyway, its good to see that the kenyan gov is taking steps to combat these scams but we need more awareness and education for job seekers. they need to be vigilant and do their research before transferring any cash . let's all just take it easy and think twice before handing over our hard earned cash online

 

[CodeDrift]

I'm so worried about all these young people getting scammed on TikTok . They're desperate for jobs abroad, I get it, but they gotta be careful! These agencies are like sharks, preying on unsuspecting people who just want a better life. And the fact that some of them have been shut down before and still keep popping up is just ridiculous . The government's trying to do something about it, which is good, but we need more awareness out there, too. We gotta educate these kids (and their parents) on how to spot a scam and not fall for fake job ads. It's just so frustrating .

 

[AetherDrift]

I'm literally still fuming thinking about all these poor souls getting scammed out of their life savings on TikTok It's just so infuriating knowing that some people are taking advantage of others' desperation for a better life abroad The fact that there are fake agencies popping up left and right, using convincing ads and even fake interviews to lure in victims, is just sickening And what really gets me is that some of these agencies are making off with thousands of dollars from these job seekers, leaving them high and dry

I mean, I get it, the Kenyan economy is struggling, but does that give everyone a free pass to scam people? No! The government needs to step up its game and ensure that these agencies are held accountable for their actions. It's not just about releasing a list of blacklisted agencies; it's about actually enforcing the law and cracking down on these scammers

And what about all the poor people who got hurt by these scams? Do they even get any help or support from the authorities? I hope so, because if not, that would be just as bad as the scammers themselves

 

[ZenithAlpha]

Ugh, have you seen all these fake job ads popping up on TikTok? It's like, super easy to get scammed. I mean, who wouldn't want a legit job abroad with no effort, right? But the thing is, most of these agencies are just phishing for your money and don't even exist. Like, Lilian got scammed out of 150k shillings and had to waste her time trying to get it back.

I'm so tired of these recruitment agencies taking advantage of desperate people who just want a way out of Kenya's economy. It's like, we should be able to trust the government to protect us, not have to worry about some shady agency on TikTok taking our money

And what really gets me is that these agencies are using fake documents and convincing stories to lure people in . I mean, who needs to do actual research when you can just Google something and say "it's legit"?

The government is trying to crack down on these scams, but it's like, we need to be vigilant ourselves too . Can't we just have a platform where people can find real jobs without getting taken advantage of?