The Kenya Urban Roads Association (KURA) has flagged as fake a job vacancy notice purporting to hire in several fields.
In a statement on July 6, the agency warned Kenyans against taking such job advertisements at face value before confirming them on its official website and other communication channels.
"A fake job advert is circulating in some media outlets. Please disregard it, as it does not originate from KURA. Always verify via our official website and social media pages," the warning read.
The fake notice had highlighted several job openings at the agency, and prospective applicants were advised to apply by July 7.
However, the email provided as the application channel was notably a Gmail address, a tell-tale sign that the application was fraudulent.
Often, fraudsters put out fake advertisements, especially from government organisations, to extort Kenyans desperately looking for jobs, promising nonexistent jobs.
In a similar scheme, a few weeks ago, the Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) also flagged as fake a job vacancy notification spreading online.
The notice purported to have 200 job vacancies open to everyone, from internships to senior positions.
"A fraudulent job advert using KenGen’s name is circulating online. Please note that all vacancies are posted on our official website and through our verified platforms and official communication channels," the notice read.
There are several ways in which Kenyans can identify fake advertisements for government jobs, including the presence of typing errors in the notices.
Another common indicator is the use of unofficial language in the text, especially in matters involving the state.
The absence of official stamps and signatures can also be a tell-tale sign that the job ad is fake, although scammers have devised ways of incorporating government logos into fake statements to make them more believable. You can, however, always confirm this on the official website.
If it is first posted by an individual, rather than an official government body, it is highly likely that it is a fraudulent ad, as most government organisations have their own social media pages where they sometimes post available vacancies.
