Fake overseas jobs: What Kenyans must know
By Kenneth Mwenda, November 13, 2025Kenya is facing a serious challenge with overseas job offers that turn into exploitation, trafficking or criminal risk, according to Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Minister Musalia Mudavadi.
He has revealed that unscrupulous networks are targeting Kenyan job‑seekers with false adverts and dangerous assignments.
He warned that some of these offers are not “jobs” at all but steps into forced criminality. Some Kenyans have reportedly been recruited into the war zone in Ukraine for Russia, offered up to Ksh2.3 million for travel, visas and accommodation, only to find themselves misled about the work.
“Unfortunately, those who have been rescued have said they were misled by the nature of the work they were to do, including assembling drones, handling chemicals, and painting works without proper training or protective gear,” Mudavadi said during the quarterly briefing on foreign affairs on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
“These are worrying concerns for us, and we must be able to tell you to guard our brothers and sisters against being exploited. The crime of human trafficking for forced criminality has taken various forms, including online scamming, illegal cryptocurrency trade, forced labour, slavery, harvesting of human organs, money laundering, and sexual exploitation, among other crimes.”
“These crimes, in addition to illegal drug production and trafficking, as well as trafficking in wildlife products, present a serious threat to not only the national security of Kenya but global security as well.”
“According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, human trafficking has become one of the world’s largest criminal enterprises, generating over Ksh19 trillion annually in profits for traffickers. The saddest thing is that it is spiralling out of control, as more victims are trafficked from Africa to as far as South America and Europe.”
In one case, on September 24, 2025, a multi‑agency raid in Athi River found 21 Kenyans being housed and prepared for deployment abroad under false pretences. An agent was arrested. Mudavadi said that some recruitments were “this adventure or misadventure”.
He also highlighted how fake online adverts target job‑seekers via social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. These adverts promise roles as receptionists, sales staff, drivers, crypto‑traders or translators abroad but often require travel on tourist visas, one‑way tickets or non‑existent hotel bookings.
“The victims are attracted to the fake job adverts that are purported to be in the Asian continent. How do these criminal networks work? They have been placing online adverts on Facebook, Instagram, Signal, X, and YouTube, among others, advertising various job opportunities, ranging from receptionists, sales jobs, cryptocurrency traders, cooks, drivers, public relations officers, translators, and factory workers, among other manual jobs.”
“Once Kenyan applicants apply for the job, they are quickly interviewed and offered the job. The victims have been swindled into travelling on tourist visas, procuring one-way tickets, and booking non-existent hotel reservations.”
On arrival the jobs turn out to be forced labour, online scamming or worse.
In Southeast Asia, the problem takes another form: Kenyans trafficked via fake job adverts into scam compounds where they may be forced into cybercrime.
“A major concern is that rescued individuals now trained in cybercrime pose a national risk by potentially establishing scam operations in Kenya upon their return,” Mudavadi said.
The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs urges all Kenyans seeking employment abroad to exercise due diligence and only use agencies accredited by the National Employment Authority (NEA) or vetted by the Ministry of Labour.
How to avoid being duped
Here are practical steps you should take before accepting an overseas job offer:
1. Verify the recruitment agency and job offer
Ensure the agency is registered with the National Employment Authority and the Ministry of Labour. Ask for licence number, physical address and contact details. If you cannot verify the agency independently, stop.
2. Watch out for unrealistic promises and big up‑front payments
Offers of extremely high pay (for example, promises of Ksh2.3 million for travel and visas) or requests for payments before departure are red flags. Victims have reported being promised big sums only to find themselves in dangerous work or fraudulent settings.
3. Check the nature of the job and location
Make sure you know exactly what work you will do, in what country, under what visa. If the job is vague or the location is suspicious, it could be a trap into forced labour or criminal operations.
4. Beware of online job adverts and social‑media offers
Fake adverts often appear on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Signal. Jobs like “crypto trader”, “driver”, and “factory worker” abroad may entice you – but the real destination could be a scam camp or trafficking route.
5. Avoid travel on tourist visas for “jobs”
If you’re asked to travel on a tourist visa and then start working, you risk legal issues, exploitation or being stranded. Legitimate employers will arrange the correct visa and contract.
6. Demand a written contract and keep copies
The contract should state job title, salary, travel/visa arrangements, accommodation, working hours and return ticket policy. Do not proceed without clear terms you understand.
7. Register with the Kenyan mission abroad and keep family informed
Before travelling, inform the nearest Kenyan Embassy or High Commission about your destination and employer. Keep a trusted friend or family member updated about your location, employer and contacts.
8. Don’t pay large sums or surrender your passport
If you are asked to pay large fees up front or surrender your passport, you could become trapped. Legitimate jobs won’t force you into debt or illegal arrangements.
9. Ask for employer’s details and check references
Get the full name and address of your employer abroad, verify company existence and get references if possible. If you cannot confirm the employer or you only deal via “agents”, proceed with caution.