Job-seekers warned about overseas scams

THE Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel, has cautioned individuals against applying for unverified job opportunities overseas as the Russian job scams remain a hot topic.

- ROBIN-LEE FRANCKE [e-mail]

This comes after influencers, such as social media star and DJ Cyan Boujee, travelled to Russia for a paid influencer campaign and shared a video documenting the trip over the weekend. Her content highlighted aspects of Alabuga’s operations.

According to the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, in October 2024, the Associated Press reported that women from Africa, largely Central and East African countries, were recruited via social media to work in a factory in Russia assembling drones to be launched in Ukraine.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Nel raised grave concerns around the ‘opportunities’ targeting young South African women with promises of lucrative employment in Russia.

He said these so-called opportunities, often promoted through informal online channels and social media, have been linked to serious risks of labour exploitation and human trafficking.