Safe or scam? Work VISA Sponsorship Scams

When you're seeking help with applying for a work VISA or work VISA sponsorship, it's crucial to be careful and stay alert. Typically, this sponsorship is for jobs in healthcare or hospitality, and it involves a company sponsoring an individual.

Often, people recommend solicitors or professionals for these situations, either through friends, family, or word of mouth. These individuals claim to have contacts who can provide the necessary sponsorship. They share information about the sponsoring company and may give you seemingly legitimate documents to sign.

Unfortunately, these scams can appear quite convincing. Scammers might ask for payments that match the official amounts listed on the home office website and request them at expected times in the application process.

They'll ask for the usual ID documentation and even provide a legitimate reference number for the application. In some cases, they take the process up to the point of scheduling an interview or appointment at the Home Office. However, when the appointment comes around, they lack the correct information, causing the application to stall.

In many instances, we've observed that the last payment for the VISA is when our clients lose contact with these solicitors/’professionals’.

So, how do you check if it's safe or a scam?

🚩 They ask for upfront admin fees before starting the application.

🚩 They guarantee VISA approval.

🚩 They pressure you to make quick payments.

🚩 They use unofficial channels, like personal emails and payments to personal accounts.

🚩 There's a lack of information about the sponsor, and no official documentation confirms it.

If you're unsure about the legitimacy of your work VISA and sponsorship:

• Double-check visa information and sponsorship programs on the official government website.

• Seek advice from immigration consultants, legal professionals, or embassy officials to verify the legitimacy of the visa sponsorship.

• Compare the information provided by the employer or sponsor with official government guidelines.

• Ask the employer for a clear sponsorship agreement detailing the terms and conditions, including all legal aspects and obligations.

• Many legitimate visa processes involve a reference or application number. Confirm its existence and cross-check it with official records.

If you are ever unsure whether or not the process you are going through is genuine, call the number on the back of your bank card and speak to your bank’s fraud team.

If you have lost money to this type of scam, Refundee can help you get your money back from your bank and you can fill in our fraud refund claim form for a free consultation. Our fee is 15% plus VAT on anything that we get back, and we don't charge anything if we are not successful. For larger cases, the fee is subject to a maximum of £10k plus VAT per case.   

Remember, you don’t need to use a company like Refundee - you could work your case yourself for free! If you’d like to get a refund yourself. You can do this by following the ‘Claim Yourself’ guide here: https://www.refundee.com/claim-yourself.