"Lilian, a 35-year-old Kenyan living in Qatar, was scrolling on TikTok in April when she saw posts from a recruitment agency offering jobs overseas. The Kenya-based WorldPath House of Travel, with more than 20,000 followers on the social media platform, promised hassle-free work visas for jobs across Europe. They were showing work permits they'd received, envelopes, like: We have Europe visas already,' Lilian recalls."
"After transferring a deposit of 150,000 Kenyan shillings (870) one year's savings Lilian received a document with the letterhead of a Netherlands-based recruitment agency, Undutchables, offering her the role of fruits and vegetable sorter in Amsterdam. But 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, calling WorldPath's recruitment effort a scam."
"As the months dragged on, Lilian realised she had been duped. WorldPath ignored her repeated requests for a refund and claimed its phone number was out of service, according to messages seen by the Guardian. WorldPath is far from the only unregistered recruiter on TikTok. The Guardian identified more than a dozen agencies that are not accredited with the Kenyan government, as they are legally required to be, but which are using the platform to promote warehouse, factory, hospitality and security work around the world."
Lilian, a 35-year-old Kenyan in Qatar, paid a 150,000 Kenyan shilling deposit (one year's savings) to a TikTok recruiter promising European work visas and received a document bearing Undutchables letterhead for a fruits-and-vegetable sorter role in Amsterdam. WorldPath House of Travel is not registered with Kenya's National Employment Authority and its claimed partnership with Undutchables is nonexistent. WorldPath ignored refund requests and later claimed its phone number was out of service. More than a dozen unaccredited recruiters operate on TikTok promoting overseas warehouse, factory, hospitality and security jobs. Several accounts linked to alleged scams have been deleted and restarted. Six Kenyans reported losing between 100,000 and 545,000 shillings, financing fees by selling cattle, borrowing and taking loans.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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