Safety · 4 min read
How to spot a job scam before you share money or documents
A pause-and-check routine for offers that create urgency, hide the employer or ask for payment.
Job scams often rely on speed and hope. A legitimate opportunity should survive a few basic questions: who is the employer, where did the role originate, how does the application work and why is someone asking for a payment or sensitive document now?
Trace the offer back to the employer
A recruiter can copy a real logo, staff name and vacancy title. Start from the organisation’s website independently and find its careers information or published contact details. Compare the role title, reference, location and application route with the message you received. Do not let the sender’s own phone number be your only verification route.
An application may legitimately move from an employer website to a recruitment platform. Follow that link from the employer’s page and check the exact destination. A recruitment platform’s name on its own does not establish who created a particular listing. If you cannot trace the route, pause before submitting documents.
Treat money demands as a separate verification problem
A personal payment to reserve an interview, release an offer, buy an account or guarantee a place is a strong reason to stop. Amref explicitly says its recruitment process does not charge application fees. TSC’s advertised-posts service also says no recruitment payments are required. Check the policy of the actual employer rather than accepting a sender’s explanation that a fee is “normal”.
Some documents or regulated services have official fees, such as a Police Clearance Certificate. That does not authorise a recruiter to collect a personal payment. If a document is genuinely required, obtain it through the issuing agency’s official process and keep its receipt. A payment for an official service is not payment for a promised job.
Look for pressure and inconsistencies
- An offer arrives without a clear assessment or explanation of the role.
- The sender refuses to provide an advert reference or confirm the employer independently.
- A last-minute payment deadline is used to stop you checking.
- The application address differs from the official instructions or uses a lookalike spelling.
- A task requires a deposit, cryptocurrency purchase, account rental or forwarding money.
- The role, location, pay or contact person changes when you ask basic questions.
Share documents only for a verified purpose
A CV and relevant qualifications can be part of an application. Requests for ID scans, bank details or other sensitive information need a clear purpose and a verified recipient. Ask which document is needed, at what recruitment stage and through which approved channel. Avoid uploading an entire personal document folder merely because a form allows attachments.
Never give a recruiter your email password, eCitizen password, bank PIN or one-time code. If someone helps you use a shared computer, enter credentials yourself where possible and sign out afterwards. Keep control of the email account used for applications so you can receive genuine notices and reset access.
Use a short verification message
A calm verification request can expose missing information without giving the sender more documents. Contact the employer using an independently found channel. Give the role and reference first; you do not need to attach sensitive identity material simply to ask whether an approach is genuine.
Hello, I received a message about [role title], reference [number], from [sender address or number]. Before proceeding, could you confirm whether this vacancy and application route are authorised by your organisation? The message asks for [brief description of request]. Thank you.
If you have already sent money or information
Save the advert, messages, sender details, payment reference and timestamps. Contact your bank or payment provider promptly through its official support channel to ask what recovery or account-protection steps are available. Change any exposed password from a trusted device, and review access to the affected account. Do not pay a second person who promises guaranteed recovery.
Report suspected fraud to the relevant authorities using an official contact, and notify the organisation being impersonated. You can preserve useful evidence without continuing the conversation with the sender. A mistake made under pressure is a reason to act methodically; it is not a reason to let the same person demand more money.
Sources and further reading
Explore this topic
Government jobs in Kenya · Pay tables and calculations · More guides in this topic