Every week, job seekers and students lose money and personal information to fake job adverts and bogus scholarship offers. Scammers know how much people need work and funding, so they copy real logos, create convincing emails and pressure applicants to act quickly. This guide explains the common warning signs and gives you a simple process for checking an opportunity before you apply.
Common warning signs
- You are asked to pay to apply. Genuine employers do not charge for applications, interviews, uniforms or “processing”. Legitimate scholarships do not ask you to pay to be considered. Some universities charge a standard application fee, but that is published on the official admissions page and is separate from any scholarship.
- The offer arrives without an application. Emails saying you won a scholarship or were selected for a job you never applied for are a major red flag.
- Personal email addresses. Messages from free email accounts pretending to be a bank, embassy, company or university deserve suspicion. Check that the address matches the organisation’s real domain.
- Urgency and pressure. Messages that demand payment or documents within hours are designed to stop you from checking.
- Vague roles with unrealistic pay. If an advert promises high salaries for very little work or no experience, be careful.
- Requests for sensitive information early. Do not send your ID number, bank details, passport scan or passwords before you have verified the employer.
- Poor writing and inconsistent details. Repeated spelling errors, mismatched names and missing contact information can signal a fake.
How to verify a job advert
- Go to the employer’s official website by typing the address yourself or searching for it. Look for the same vacancy on their careers page.
- Check the application route. Government and large organisations usually use their own portals or listed addresses.
- Call the organisation using a phone number you found on their official website, not the number in the message.
- Search the company name together with words like “scam” or “fake” to see whether others have reported problems.
- For jobs abroad, check whether the recruitment agency is licensed. In Kenya, private employment agencies that place workers overseas are supposed to be registered with the National Employment Authority. Ask for the licence details and confirm them with the authority directly.
- Read the contract carefully before you travel or resign. Never pay for visas, tickets or “clearance” to people you cannot verify.
How to verify a scholarship
- Find the scholarship on the awarding university, government or foundation website. Official pages list eligibility, deadlines and contact details.
- Confirm that the funder really exists and that the email domain matches its official domain.
- Be cautious about intermediaries that charge for access to scholarship lists or guarantee an award. No one can guarantee you will win.
- Read the terms. Genuine awards explain what they cover, the selection process and any conditions attached.
Protect your information
Share only what is necessary at each stage. Early on, an employer needs your CV and contact details. Bank details, a copy of your ID and similar documents are normally requested after a real offer. Use strong, different passwords for your email and social accounts, and turn on two-step verification where possible. Be careful with links in messages, and open websites by typing the address yourself.
What to do if you think you have been scammed
- Stop communicating with the sender and keep screenshots, emails, receipts and phone numbers as evidence.
- If you sent money through a mobile money service or bank, contact the provider immediately to report the transaction.
- Report the incident to the police or the relevant authority in your area, and warn friends and family.
- Change your passwords if you shared any login details.
How we help
At Jobs & Scholarships, we point readers to official sources and remind you to confirm details on the employer’s or funder’s website before applying. Read our editorial policy and disclaimer to see how we handle information. If you spot a suspicious opportunity, you can tell us through our contact page.