Foreign Ministry warns Ghanaians over fake Zambia job offers
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cautioned Ghanaians seeking employment opportunities in Zambia to thoroughly verify job offers, recruitment agencies and prospective employers before travelling, following reports of job seekers being lured into the country and allegedly forced into cybercrime. The warning was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which […] The…
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a warning to Ghanaians considering employment opportunities in Zambia, urging them to meticulously vet any offers, recruitment agencies, and prospective employers before traveling. This advice comes after a series of incidents where job seekers were lured into the country, only to be coerced into engaging in cybercrime.
The Ministry's warning was prompted by the arrest of six Ghanaians in Lusaka during a joint operation involving the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission, and the Department of Immigration. These arrests were part of a broader operation targeting a suspected cybercrime facility, which resulted in the apprehension of 79 individuals, including 69 foreign nationals.
Initial reports from the Ghana High Commission in Lusaka suggested that many of those arrested had been recruited through seemingly legitimate job offers, often online data-entry positions. However, upon arrival in Zambia, these individuals were allegedly subjected to restrictive conditions, forced to participate in online scams after their passports were confiscated by their employers.
The Ministry's warning underscores the increasing prevalence of fraudulent employment practices used by human trafficking networks to exploit job seekers and entrap them in illegal activities. In response, the Ministry has advised Ghanaians planning to travel to Zambia for work to exercise extreme caution and independently verify the legitimacy of any job offers before undertaking travel.
Prospective job seekers are encouraged to conduct thorough investigations into the credibility of recruitment agencies and prospective employers, as well as to scrutinize online employment opportunities that cannot be independently verified. Those already residing in Zambia have been urged to remain vigilant when responding to job advertisements and to maintain regular communication with the Ghana High Commission in Lusaka for any necessary consular support.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to protecting the welfare and interests of Ghanaians traveling abroad or residing in foreign countries.
Written by urgent.news from The Chronicle Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
