Fake job, visa and scholarship offers: how to spot the scam
What the message looks like
An offer you didn't really apply for, which needs a "processing" or "registration" fee first.
How to tell it's a scam
The offer arrives by WhatsApp, text or a social media message: a well-paid job abroad, a guaranteed visa or a full scholarship, often with no interview. Then comes a fee for 'processing', a medical, a uniform or a flight booking.
A real employer or scholarship doesn't charge you to accept it. If an offer asks for money first, or asks you to keep it quiet, it's a scam.
Check the organisation yourself, on its own website, before you send anything or share copies of your passport.
The tell: Real employers and embassies don't charge you to get the offer. Don't pay.
Got one? Check it in seconds
Paste the message into Alice's free scam checker. It shows the warning signs and the exact words that set them off, and the check runs on your own device.
Check a messageAlready clicked, paid or shared details?
If you've sent money or shared your PIN or OTP, call your bank at once on the number on your card and ask them to block the account. Anyone who asks for a fee to recover your money is a second scam.
Where to report it in Nigeria
- Report fraud or a scam (free): the EFCC at efcc.gov.ng (Submit Petition, or the EFCC Eagle App), hotline +234 809 332 2644, info@efcc.gov.ng
- In danger now: call 112
- More support lines in Nigeria: findahelpline.com/countries/ng
Contacts checked on each organisation's own website, September 2026.
What to do with a message you're not sure about
- Don't click the link, reply, or call the number in the message.
- Check for yourself: open the company's own app, or type its website address yourself.
- If it claims to be family, call them on the number you already have.
- Report it (below), then delete it.
Warn your family or group chat
Scams work best on people who haven't seen them before.
Not sure? Ask Alice
Paste the message into a chat and choose "Is this a scam?". Alice lists the warning signs she can see, gives a verdict, and tells you where to report it. Leave out your own account numbers — she never needs them.
General guidance, not legal or financial advice. If money has already gone, contact your bank first.