$1,485 Ordeal—A Cautionary Tale for Fellow Job Seekers
This story is shared anonymously to protect others from falling prey to the same criminal scheme.
In the desperate search for a better opportunity, job seekers are vulnerable. I recently lost my hard-earned money to a highly organized and sophisticated employment scam that started with a simple Facebook advert. I want to share the details—the red flags, the escalating demands, the total cost, and the timeline—to prevent my fellow brothers and sisters from being robbed of their fortune.
| Date/Period | Event | Key Red Flag |
| August 2025 | Responded to a job advert on Facebook from “APEX GLOBAL CAREERS” via email. | Legitimate job opportunities for major companies are rarely initiated via an unverified Facebook page and a generic gmail.com address. |
| Initial Contact | Referred to “Mr. Juma” (+254…) in Canada for Southern Africa recruitment. Instructed to pay $100 USD to “start the process.” | NEVER PAY A FEE TO APPLY OR START A JOB PROCESS. This is the number one indicator of a scam. |
| Escalation Phase 1 | Received a fake offer from a legitimate company (KPMG Canada). Instructed to get a medical test, then demanded $200 USD for “TB certificate processing.” | Job offers should come directly from the employer or a verifiable HR channel, not an intermediary demanding medical processing fees. |
| Escalation Phase 2 | Informed that the Certificate of Sponsorship was “out,” but now needed $250 USD for biometrics, claiming the employer refused to pay. | Costs were suddenly outside the “initial contract” and passed directly to the applicant—a classic bait-and-switch. |
| Escalation Phase 3 | Demanded $500 USD for a “Permanent Residency Card (PRC)” application, citing a spurious change in immigration law due to the World Cup. | Scammers invent official-sounding but complex, time-sensitive reasons (immigration law changes) to justify large, unexpected payments. |
| Final Payments | Received a proforma invoice from DHL demanding $365 USD for shipping and a $70 USD “stamping fee.” Scammers refused a “pay forward” option. | Refusal to allow the recipient to pay for shipping/customs on their end is a major red flag, as they retain control of the payment flow. |
| The End | Received a call from a fake “Kenyan Airport Authority” demanding $289 USD for clearing documents held at Jomo Kenyatta Airport, despite the documents being sent from Canada to Zimbabwe. | The illogical cargo route (Canada $\rightarrow$ Kenya $\rightarrow$ Zimbabwe) and the final, high-pressure, unexpected fee led to the realization of the scam. |
💰 The Total Costs and Loss
The initial cost was promised to be around $350 USD (plus a post-employment agent fee). The final loss amounted to over four times that amount, with the demands showing no sign of stopping.
| Payment Component | Amount Sent (USD) | Status |
| Registration Fee | $100 | PAID |
| TB Certificate | $200 | PAID |
| Biometrics | $250 | PAID |
| PRC Application | $500 | PAID |
| DHL/Shipping | $365 | PAID |
| Stamping Fee | $70 | PAID |
| Total Funds Sent | $1,485 USD | TOTAL LOSS |
| Final Demand (Unpaid) | $289 USD | REFUSED (I stopped communicating) |
🚨 Warning: The “APEX GLOBAL CAREERS” Job Scam
My $1,485 Ordeal—A Cautionary Tale for Fellow Job Seekers
This story is shared anonymously to protect others from falling prey to the same criminal scheme.
In the desperate search for a better opportunity, job seekers are vulnerable. I recently lost my hard-earned money to a highly organized and sophisticated employment scam that started with a simple Facebook advert. I want to share the details—the red flags, the escalating demands, the total cost, and the timeline—to prevent my fellow brothers and sisters from being robbed of their fortune.
🗓️ The Timeline of Deception
The scam was executed over a period of weeks, characterized by escalating payments and a mounting sense of urgency.
| Date/Period | Event | Key Red Flag |
| August 2025 | Responded to a job advert on Facebook from “APEX GLOBAL CAREERS” via email. | Legitimate job opportunities for major companies are rarely initiated via an unverified Facebook page and a generic gmail.com address. |
| Initial Contact | Referred to “Mr. Juma” (+254…) in Canada for Southern Africa recruitment. Instructed to pay $100 USD to “start the process.” | NEVER PAY A FEE TO APPLY OR START A JOB PROCESS. This is the number one indicator of a scam. |
| Escalation Phase 1 | Received a fake offer from a legitimate company (KPMG Canada). Instructed to get a medical test, then demanded $200 USD for “TB certificate processing.” | Job offers should come directly from the employer or a verifiable HR channel, not an intermediary demanding medical processing fees. |
| Escalation Phase 2 | Informed that the Certificate of Sponsorship was “out,” but now needed $250 USD for biometrics, claiming the employer refused to pay. | Costs were suddenly outside the “initial contract” and passed directly to the applicant—a classic bait-and-switch. |
| Escalation Phase 3 | Demanded $500 USD for a “Permanent Residency Card (PRC)” application, citing a spurious change in immigration law due to the World Cup. | Scammers invent official-sounding but complex, time-sensitive reasons (immigration law changes) to justify large, unexpected payments. |
| Final Payments | Received a proforma invoice from DHL demanding $365 USD for shipping and a $70 USD “stamping fee.” Scammers refused a “pay forward” option. | Refusal to allow the recipient to pay for shipping/customs on their end is a major red flag, as they retain control of the payment flow. |
| The End | Received a call from a fake “Kenyan Airport Authority” demanding $289 USD for clearing documents held at Jomo Kenyatta Airport, despite the documents being sent from Canada to Zimbabwe. | The illogical cargo route (Canada $\rightarrow$ Kenya $\rightarrow$ Zimbabwe) and the final, high-pressure, unexpected fee led to the realization of the scam. |
💰 The Total Costs and Loss
The initial cost was promised to be around $350 USD (plus a post-employment agent fee). The final loss amounted to over four times that amount, with the demands showing no sign of stopping.
| Payment Component | Amount Sent (USD) | Status |
| Registration Fee | $100 | PAID |
| TB Certificate | $200 | PAID |
| Biometrics | $250 | PAID |
| PRC Application | $500 | PAID |
| DHL/Shipping | $365 | PAID |
| Stamping Fee | $70 | PAID |
| Total Funds Sent | $1,485 USD | TOTAL LOSS |
| Final Demand (Unpaid) | $289 USD | REFUSED (I stopped communicating) |
🛑 What You Need to Know: Red Flags of the Scam
The perpetrators—including “Mr. Juma,” “Acelyn Melly,” and the fake “HR Manager”—used a coordinated strategy to maintain pressure and credibility.
- The Upfront Fee: A legitimate employer or reputable recruiter will never ask you to pay a fee for registration, application, interview scheduling, or securing an offer.
- Generic/Free Email Address: The use of
jobsukdkw@gmail.cominstead of a professional company domain is a huge red flag. - Third-Party Transfers: Money was requested via Mukuru to a personal Mpesa number in Kenya (Franklin Onyari), not to a registered business bank account.
- Escalating/Unforeseen Costs: The fees kept increasing with vague or improbable justifications (like a sudden PRC requirement or employer’s refusal to pay).
- Urgency and Pressure: The fraudsters used an arbitrary reporting date (October 2, 2025) and threatened cancellation to force immediate payments.
- Illogical Logistics: The parcel being routed through Kenya on its way from Canada to Zimbabwe exposed the deception.
If a job offer is too good to be true, requires you to pay money to get a job, or uses threatening urgency, it is a scam.
I have since reported this incident and urge anyone who has been contacted by “APEX GLOBAL CAREERS” or the provided phone numbers (+254 758 982 514, +1 254 218 8398, etc.) to immediately cease communication and report it to your local police and financial institutions.
Protect your fortune. Share this warning.
