Fake overseas job offer visa processing fee scam — high-salary job abroad (Dubai, Canada, Germany, oil rig) + must pay visa processing fee / work permit fee / sponsorship fee before job starts + legitimate employers always cover visa costs + job does not exist + fee is the only goal

Overseas job advance-fee fraud — a global scam using fabricated employment offers as the hook. Victims receive unsolicited emails offering exceptionally high-paying jobs abroad (Dubai, Canada, Germany, Australia, oil rigs, construction sites, domestic work) with generous packages including accommodation and flights. Before the "job" can begin, the victim is told to pay an upfront visa processing fee, work permit fee, sponsorship fee, training certification fee, or "refundable deposit." The fee is the fraud — the job does not exist and the scammer disappears after payment. This scam disproportionately targets people in developing countries and those facing unemployment. Key facts: (1) Under UK, EU, US, Canadian, and Gulf Cooperation Council employment law, employers — not workers — pay for visa sponsorship and work permit costs; (2) Legitimate international recruiters never require candidates to pay fees before starting — any recruiter who does is committing fraud under many jurisdictions' law; (3) The International Labour Organization (ILO) runs a global campaign against recruitment fees paid by migrant workers; (4) Real high-paying international positions (engineering, oil and gas, IT) have formal application processes through established agencies with verifiable registration numbers; (5) The FBI IC3 regularly warns about overseas job scams, especially targeting job seekers on LinkedIn and job boards. Warning signs: salary significantly above market rate, urgent deadline to pay, payment via wire transfer or MoneyGram, generic job description, Gmail/Hotmail sender.