In this guide
Checking employers and job offers
Overseas job and visa sponsorship scams
How visa and sponsorship job scams work, what GOV.UK and USCIS say about payments and official contact, and how to check a UK sponsor on the register.
How visa job scams work
The offer usually promises a well-paid job abroad with a visa arranged for you. After a quick process, you are asked to pay: for 'visa processing', a sponsorship certificate, travel, accommodation or a deposit. The job and the visa do not exist, or the visa route described is not real.
Because these scams target people moving countries, they often use official-sounding language, copied logos and fake letters made to look like government documents.
What official sources say
- GOV.UK: you will never be asked to pay for a visa using cash or money transfer, and visa and immigration scams should be reported to Report Fraud with a copy of the suspicious email and details of anything you sent.
- USCIS: it will only contact you through official government channels and will not contact you through your personal social media accounts. It advises reporting immigration fraud to the FTC or your state consumer protection office.
Checks before you pay or travel
For any job offer that includes a visa
- The employer can be verified independently and the role appears on its own careers page.
- For UK roles, the employer appears on the government's register of licensed sponsors for workers.
- Visa information comes from the official government website, not from the recruiter alone.
- Any visa fee is paid to the official government service, not to a recruiter or agent by money transfer.
- You have written terms of employment from the employer.
| Request | How to treat it |
|---|---|
| Pay the recruiter for a sponsorship certificate | Stop: check the employer and the official visa process yourself |
| Pay for a visa in cash or by money transfer | GOV.UK says this is never how UK visas are paid for |
| Contact from an 'immigration officer' on social media | USCIS says it does not contact people that way |
| A deposit for accommodation before you have a contract | Do not pay until employer and terms are verified |
If you have paid or shared documents
Contact your bank or the payment service immediately. Report the scam: in the UK to Report Fraud, and in the US to the FTC. If you sent passport or identity copies, follow the steps in the guide on what to do if you shared details with a job scammer.
Common questions
Does being on the UK sponsor register prove a job offer is real?
No. It shows the organisation holds a sponsor licence. Scammers can use a real employer's name, so confirm the offer with the employer through its own contact details.
Can a recruitment agency legitimately help with visas?
Some do help with the process, but you should still be able to verify the agency and the employer, and official fees are paid to the government, not to the recruiter.
Sources
- GOV.UK: report visa and immigration scamsGOV.UK · UK · checked 3 October 2026
- GOV.UK: register of licensed sponsors (workers)GOV.UK · UK · checked 3 October 2026
- USCIS: common immigration scamsUS Citizenship and Immigration Services · US · checked 3 October 2026
- GOV.UK: avoid and report internet scams and phishingGOV.UK · UK · checked 3 October 2026
Put it into practice
See how Luceria helps with thisDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.