Most overseas job frauds follow a recognisable pattern. Knowing what to look for is often enough to avoid them entirely — the warning signs tend to repeat across cases.
Pressure and urgency
Genuine employers rarely need an answer, a payment, or your passport within hours. Artificial urgency — "the visa slot closes tonight" — is one of the most common pressure tactics used to stop candidates from checking details properly.
Payment demanded before any documentation
Being asked to pay a large sum before seeing a genuine offer letter, before any licence or registration is shown, or before the employer's details can be independently checked, is a serious warning sign.
Your passport being held "for processing"
An original passport should never be held as security or collateral by anyone. Where it's genuinely needed for a specific processing step, there should be a clear handover record and a defined return timeline — not an open-ended hold.
Vague or unverifiable employer details
- No verifiable company name, address, or trade licence
- A "recruiter" who can't or won't share their RA registration number
- Salary figures that seem significantly above the going rate for that role and country
What to do if something feels off
Slow down. Ask for everything in writing, verify the Recruiting Agent's licence independently, and confirm the employer's details before paying anything or handing over original documents. A legitimate opportunity will still be there after you've checked.