UN warns fake online job ads lure Africans into forced cybercrime scams abroad

UN International Organization for Migration warned on Tuesday that trafficking gangs are increasingly using fake online job advertisements to lure thousands of people into forced labour, turning them into cybercriminals. Victims from over 80 countries, many with good English and university degrees, are told they have secured legitimate jobs via social media ads, then confined in compounds across Asia, had their passports and phones confiscated, and are beaten or threatened into running global fraud schemes. IOM Director General Amy Pope said most travel on tourist visas rather than work permits, and between 2022 and 2025 the agency helped over 3,500 victims from 39 nations including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that scams across East and Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand caused losses between $88.3 billion and $114.1 billion in 2025. Last week the United States imposed a visa ban on suspected sextortionists and cyber scammers, noting that Southeast Asia‑based scams cost Americans about $10 billion in 2024.

For Nigerians seeking work abroad, the warning is direct: criminals often target English‑speaking graduates with promising offers that conceal exploitative conditions. Falling victim can mean loss of savings, physical abuse, and criminal liability for fraud committed under duress. The recent US visa ban shows authorities are cracking down on perpetrators, but prevention remains key.

Before accepting any overseas job offer, will you verify the employer’s legitimacy, refuse to surrender your passport, and report suspicious offers to authorities such as NAPTIP or the Nigerian Embassy?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/29/un-warns-of-increasing-trafficking-via-online-job-adverts/