Someone I met online abroad promised to sponsor my visa if I pay the processing fees. Is it a scam?
Almost certainly. A genuine visa application is made through the embassy or its official visa centre, and you pay the official fees there yourself, not to a partner or an "agent" they recommend.
The scam mixes romance with the dream of a life abroad. The person or their "lawyer" sends forms, stamps and letters that look official, then asks for one fee after another.
Once you have paid, the visa is always almost ready, and one more payment is needed.
Before you pay anything
- Find the official visa requirements on the embassy's own website.
- Never pay visa fees to a private person or by M-Pesa to a personal number.
- Ask the partner for a video call and to meet in person first.
- Check the "lawyer" or "agent" name and number with Veritaza.
- Talk to someone you trust before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
- They sent an embassy letter with a stamp. Is it real?
- Letters and stamps are easy to fake. Contact the embassy through its official website, not through details in the letter.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for KSh 300.
Check a person