Secret filming reveals brazen tactics of UK immigration scammers

A recent investigation by the BBC has revealed alarming practices among certain recruitment agents who are scamming foreign nationals seeking employment in the UK care sector. The undercover footage shows Dr Kelvin Alaneme, a Nigerian doctor who has previously worked for the NHS, discussing how he sells fake job opportunities to individuals from abroad. This investigation sheds light on the ease with which these agents exploit vulnerable individuals, taking advantage of their desire to work in the UK. The Home Office has acknowledged that the immigration system is susceptible to abuse, and the BBC's findings illustrate the extent of the problem. The agents employ various deceptive tactics, such as illegally selling non-existent jobs in UK care companies and creating fake payroll schemes to hide the fact that these positions do not exist. The rise in reports of immigration scams has been linked to a government visa scheme that was expanded in 2022 to include care workers, originally intended for foreign medical professionals. To apply for this visa, candidates must obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed UK employer. Unfortunately, this requirement has been exploited by unscrupulous relocation agents. Dora-Olivia Vicol, the CEO of the Work Rights Centre, a charity that assists migrants, has stated that the scale of exploitation under the Health and Care Work visa is significant and has become a national crisis. She emphasizes that the sponsorship system poses systemic risks, as it grants employers excessive power and has allowed a predatory market of middlemen to flourish. The BBC sent undercover journalists to investigate these relocation agents. One journalist met with Dr Alaneme, who attempted to recruit her as an agent for his agency, CareerEdu, based in Harlow, Essex. He claimed that she could earn substantial profits by helping him find care homes in need of workers. Dr Alaneme stated, 'Just get me care homes. I can make you a millionaire. ' This interaction provided valuable insight into how immigration scams operate. Dr Alaneme offered to pay £2,000 for each care home vacancy the journalist could secure and promised an additional £500 commission. He then revealed that he would sell these vacancies to candidates in Nigeria, despite the fact that charging candidates for jobs is illegal in the UK. He acknowledged that candidates are paying because they believe it is their only option. The BBC's investigation was prompted by numerous complaints about Dr Alaneme's relocation services. One complainant, a Nigerian man named Praise, reported that he paid over £10,000 for a job in the UK that turned out to be non-existent. Praise had been led to believe he would be working for a care company called Efficiency for Care, but upon arriving in the UK, he discovered that the job was a scam. He expressed his regret, stating, 'If I had known there was no job, I would not have come here. ' Praise explained that in Nigeria, he could rely on family for support, but in the UK, he felt isolated and hungry. Despite reaching out to Dr Alaneme for assistance, he received no help and spent nearly a year searching for another job. The investigation revealed that Efficiency for Care had issued a staggering number of Certificates of Sponsorship to foreign workers, despite employing only a small number of staff. The Home Office eventually revoked the company's sponsorship license, but it continues to operate, claiming it did not collude with Dr Alaneme and that it followed legal procedures when hiring staff from abroad. The BBC also uncovered another agent, Nana Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh, who was involved in similar scams. He was found to be selling fake Certificates of Sponsorship to individuals seeking jobs in the UK. Agyemang-Prempeh later shifted his focus to the construction industry, where he claimed he could help bring workers over for a fee. The Home Office has stated that it is taking action against employers who abuse the visa system and will ban those who violate UK employment laws from sponsoring foreign workers. This investigation highlights the urgent need for better protections for migrants and stricter regulations to prevent these scams from occurring.