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Scam Safety

Legitimate employers do not ask you to pay to get a job. Recruitment scams are common in the NGO and humanitarian sector because well-known names and overseas postings attract many applicants. This guide shows you how to spot a scam, check an employer, and what to do if you are targeted.

Never pay an employer to get a job. Genuine employers, NGOs and UN agencies do not ask for fees to apply, interview or be shortlisted. NGO Jobs Africa will never contact you to request money for a job offer, interview or visa.

Red flags: stop if you see any of these

A request for moneyApplication, processing, interview, training, medical, visa, “uniform”, insurance or other deposits, before or after an offer.
An offer without a real interviewYou are “selected” after one chat message or email, or offered a senior role you never applied for.
Personal email addressesRecruiters using Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook addresses, or look-alike domains (e.g. unicef-jobs.org instead of unicef.org).
Pressure and urgency“Pay today or lose your place”, very short deadlines, or requests to keep the offer secret.
Too good to be trueUnusually high pay for little experience, guaranteed visas or relocation for a fee.
Messaging-only contactEverything happens on WhatsApp or Telegram and the person refuses a video call or official email.
Requests for sensitive dataBank PINs, passwords, M-Pesa codes, or copies of ID and passport before any formal offer.
Poor-quality documentsOffer letters with spelling mistakes, wrong logos, mismatched names or no reference number.
Payment to a personMoney requested via mobile money, gift cards, crypto or to an individual’s bank account.

Common scams in our sector

Fake UN or INGO job offers

Scammers copy the names and logos of UN agencies and large NGOs and send “appointment letters” followed by a request for a visa, travel or processing fee. The UN system and major NGOs do not charge any fee at any stage of recruitment. Genuine UN vacancies are published on official careers sites.

Pay-to-train or certificate schemes

You are told you have been shortlisted but must first pay for a “mandatory” training, medical check or certificate from a specific provider.

Grant and funding scams

An organisation is told it has “won” a grant but must pay a registration, legal or transfer fee to release the funds. Real donors do not charge applicants to receive a grant.

Tender and procurement fees

Bidders are asked to pay a personal account to “secure” a tender or receive documents. Genuine tender documents come from the organisation’s official procurement page, and any bid fees are stated in the official notice.

Recruitment “agents”

Someone claims they can guarantee you a job with a well-known organisation in exchange for a fee or a share of your salary.

Phishing forms

Links that lead to fake application forms asking for passwords, bank details or ID documents. Always type the organisation’s web address yourself.

Overpayment and cheque scams

You receive a cheque or transfer for “equipment” or “travel” and are asked to send part of it back. The original payment later bounces.

How to verify an employer: 6 checks

  1. Find the official website yourself. Search the organisation’s name and open its official site. Do not rely on links in a message.
  2. Find the vacancy on the official careers page. The role, reference number and deadline should match. On NGO Jobs Africa, use the source link shown on each listing.
  3. Check the email domain. Messages should come from the organisation’s own domain, e.g. @unicef.org, @nrc.no, @rescue.org, not a free email service or a look-alike domain.
  4. Check registration. Local NGOs can be checked with the national NGO regulator (in Kenya, the NGO / PBO regulatory authority) or company registry.
  5. Ask for a video call and a named contact. Real recruiters can tell you who is on the panel and which office is hiring.
  6. Talk to someone you trust. A second opinion from a colleague, lecturer or career adviser often spots what pressure hides.

If you think you have been targeted

Do this now

  • Stop all contact and do not send money or documents.
  • Keep evidence: screenshots, emails, phone numbers, payment receipts.
  • If you paid, contact your bank or mobile-money provider immediately to try to stop or reverse the payment.
  • If you shared passwords, change them and turn on two-step verification.

Report it

  • To us: use “Report this listing” on the opportunity, or send a report.
  • To the organisation being impersonated: most have a fraud or integrity email on their website.
  • To the police or your national cybercrime unit, especially if money was lost.
  • To the platform where you were contacted (WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn, email provider).

How we keep listings safe

  • We link to the original source wherever possible and show when a listing was checked against it.
  • Expired listings are clearly marked closed, not left looking live.
  • Every listing has a “Report this listing” button, and reports are reviewed within one working day.
  • Suspicious listings are removed and the posting account is reviewed.

Questions

Is it ever normal to pay for anything?

Some genuine exams or professional courses charge fees, but these are never a condition for a job offer from an NGO or UN agency. If a payment is linked to getting hired, treat it as a scam.

A recruiter contacted me on WhatsApp. Is it fake?

Not necessarily, but verify the person and the organisation through official channels before sharing documents or continuing.

I found a suspicious listing on NGO Jobs Africa. What happens after I report it?

We review it, compare it with the original source and correct, close or remove it. If you leave your email, we can let you know the outcome.

Find the opportunity. Verify the source. Protect your information. Then apply.

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