I got an overseas job offer but I must pay for the visa and permit first. Is it a scam?
Yes, almost always. A real overseas employer that wants you either pays the visa and relocation costs or lets you pay the embassy directly; it never asks for visa or permit fees into a private or agent account. The fees grow and the job never materialises.
The offer arrives after you posted your CV online. The contract looks real, the salary is generous, and then come the fees: visa processing, work permit, medical, flight deposit, "anti-fraud insurance". People lose tens of thousands of rand this way.
How to check
- Contact the employer through its official website and ask whether the offer is real.
- Visa fees are paid to the embassy or official visa centre, not to an agent's account.
- Search the company and the agent with "visa scam".
- Be suspicious of a job offer without a real interview.
- Check the recruiter's number and email address.
Frequently asked questions
- The contract has the company logo and a signature. Is that proof?
- No. Contracts are easy to fake. Only confirmation from the company itself counts.
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