How to spot a job scam before it costs you

The rule that covers almost every case: a real employer pays you. You never pay them.

Report or walk away if you are asked to

• Pay a registration, processing, training, uniform or medical fee before you start
• Send money to secure an interview slot
• Pay for a "placement guarantee" or a "faster review"
• Share your mobile money PIN, bank password, or a one-time code sent to your phone

Other warning signs

• The offer arrives before any interview.
• The pay is far above the market rate for the work described.
• The whole conversation happens on WhatsApp and the company has no verifiable address.
• The email comes from a free address that imitates a known company name.
• You are pushed to decide today.

What is normal and not a scam

• A background or reference check after an offer.
• A written contract before you start.
• Being asked for your TIN or NSSF details once you are hired, through the employer's official HR channel.
• An unpaid volunteer role that is clearly advertised as unpaid.

What to do if you see one on ONFIVEE

Every opportunity page has a Report this post button. Choose "Asks for money" or "Looks like a scam", and add anything the reviewer would not otherwise see — a phone number, an email, a screenshot description. Reports about money reach our reviewers first. You do not need an account to report.

If you have already paid

1. Stop sending money immediately, even if they say one more payment releases the job.
2. Call your mobile money provider and report the transaction the same day.
3. Report to the police, and keep the reference number.
4. Save every message. Delete nothing.

Being scammed is not a sign that you were careless. These operations are practised and they target people who need work. Reporting it protects the next person.