Fraudulent recruiters specifically target veterans because our eagerness to work and our unfamiliarity with civilian hiring norms makes us easy marks. Here is exactly how to spot the fakes before they cost you money — or worse. Since 2015, recruitment fraud targeting African security professionals has grown into a sophisticated industry of its own. Veterans in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana lose millions of shillings annually to fraudulent recruiters. The schemes are increasingly convincing. Here is how they work and how to dismantle them.
The Most Common Scam Patterns
- The Visa Fee Scam: Legitimate employers in security contracting pay for your visa and travel. Any recruiter requesting upfront payment for a visa, medical, or background check is likely a fraudster.
- The Too-Good Rate: $300/day for a static guard role in a “safe” environment. Rates that significantly exceed market norms for the role should raise immediate questions, not excitement.
- Unverifiable companies: Google the company. Check LinkedIn. Verify their registration on the UK Companies House, US SEC EDGAR, or Kenya’s BRS (Business Registration Service). No verifiable corporate existence = no legitimate contract.
- Pressure and urgency: “The position closes Friday.” Legitimate companies do not pressure candidates into rushed decisions for security roles.
- WhatsApp-only communication: Reputable security firms have verifiable email domains, offices, and phone numbers. If your entire recruitment process happens on WhatsApp with someone using a personal number, investigate further before proceeding.
Verification Steps — Non-Negotiable
- Independently find the company’s official website and contact them directly to verify the recruiter works there
- Search the company name + “scam” or “fraud” — forums like Quora, Reddit’s r/SecurityContracting, and veteran Facebook groups are rich sources of warnings
- Ask for the recruiter’s work email on the company domain — not Gmail, not Yahoo, not Outlook.com
- Request a verifiable contract from a registered legal entity before any commitment
