Kenyans applying for UK Visas have been urged to stay alert after the United Kingdom government exposed an elaborate scam targeting visa applicants.
In a statement on Monday, the British High Commission in Kenya cautioned that fraudsters had become increasingly aggressive, resorting to phone calls, emails and fake websites to trick applicants into sharing personal information.
"If you receive an unexpected email, telephone call or letter from someone who claims to be from the Home Office, it may be a scam. We will never contact you to ask for money or your personal details," a statement from GOV.UK, the central online platform for government departments, agencies, and public bodies, read.
According to the UK government, criminals known to telecommunication companies in Kenya and abroad use phone calls and official-looking emails to claim they can "easily" help an applicant secure a UK visa, insisting there is an issue with their initial application.
The scammers go to the lengths of using official-sounding language, forged documents or job offer letters which appear genuine. Since they know personal details about their targets, their tricks sound very convincing.
Among the most common scams are job offers followed by demands for payment of visa or processing fees. The Commission insisted that application processes for visas have no shortcuts, and no legitimate employer will ask an applicant to pay for a visa.
Further, the commission reiterated that anyone claiming to "guarantee" a job should be treated as a fraudster.
The commission also revealed another scam involving individuals pretending to be Home Office or Visa Application Centre officers. The impostors visit homes or call applicants, claiming there was a serious issue with their application before proceeding to demand payment through global money transfer platforms. For this scam, students are the most susceptible.
Another elaborate scheme involves the fraudsters asking applicants for UK work or study visas to make a small deposit as "proof of financial capability".
The commission clarified that while applicants must show evidence of funds during the application process, money will never be requested by the Home Office as proof.
"You should pay attention to any documents you receive or submit as part of your application to check they are genuine. This includes looking for spelling or grammar mistakes and incorrect letterheads or branding," the commission warned.
Official UK Government Websites
To minimise the risk of falling for the scams, the commission reminded Kenyans that official UK government websites always end with gov.uk. Similarly, there is an official Home Office email which also follows a specific format and ends with gov.uk. Before issuing any replies, applicants are urged to double-check the actual email address.
Further, applicants have been urged to question offers that sound too good to be true, and if one suspects fraud, personal information shared should be kept to a minimum.
The High Commission urged victims or potential victims in the UK to report to the UK’s national fraud reporting centre known as Action Fraud. Those outside the UK, meanwhile, should report to their local authorities.
