Every week someone's aunt loses $600 to a "Canada agent" who disappears after deposit day. The scam works because hope does the talking and nobody does the checking. Here are the checks — all free, all under ten minutes.
The 9 checks
1. Search the company on the official register. Canada: ESDC's LMIA employer list. UK: the Home Office licensed sponsor register. UAE: MOHRE company check. If the employer is not on the register, the job does not exist.
2. Reverse-search the recruiter's number. Paste the phone number into a search engine. Scam numbers are often reported in Facebook groups within weeks.
3. Check the email domain. Real HR writes from the company's domain — not Gmail, not Yahoo, not a name that is one letter off the real company.
**4. Refuse every fee." Processing", "visa prepayment", "work permit insurance" — these words belong to scammers. Government fees exist, but they are paid to government portals directly, and the amounts are published.
5. Demand a video interview. Real employers interview you. Scammers avoid video or use blurred cameras with excuses.
6. Read the offer letter like a lawyer. Real offers name the company, the role, the salary, the hours and the country. Fake offers mention huge salaries, "free accommodation and visa" but no company name you can verify.
7. Never send your original passport. Copies are enough at every legitimate stage. Originals are handed over only to immigration authorities or your verified employer after arrival.
8. Check the salary against the market. A "farm job in Canada, $9,000 monthly, no experience" is bait. Compare with the real ranges we list on every job page here.
9. Sleep on it. Scammers push urgency: "pay today or lose the slot." Real hiring survives a 24-hour pause. Every time.
What to do if you already paid
Report it immediately: to your local police, to your bank (ask for a recall on the transfer), and on the platform where the recruiter found you. You will probably not get the money back — but your report protects the next person, and sometimes payment chains do get frozen.
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This article saves more people than any job listing on this site. Send it to the family WhatsApp group where the "Canada agent" is currently collecting deposits.