Secret filming reveals brazen tactics of UK immigration scammers

Recruitment agents scamming foreign nationals in the UK care sector have been exposed by BBC secret filming.

One rogue agent is a Nigerian doctor who worked for the NHS.

The Home Office admits the system is vulnerable to abuse. The BBC investigation shows how easily these agents scam people and avoid detection.

Our secret filming reveals several tactics used by these agents:

- Illegally selling jobs in UK care companies.
- Creating fake payroll schemes to hide non-existent jobs.
- Shifting focus from care to other sectors, like construction, facing staff shortages.

Reports of immigration scams have surged since a government visa scheme expanded in 2022. This scheme originally allowed only foreign medical professionals to work in the UK but now includes care workers.

To apply for this visa, candidates need a "Certificate of Sponsorship" (CoS) from a licensed UK employer. Rogue relocation agents exploit this requirement.

Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of Work Rights Centre, says exploitation under the Health and Care Work visa is significant. She believes it has become a national crisis.

Vicol warns that the sponsorship system gives employers too much power. This situation has allowed predatory middlemen to thrive.

The BBC sent undercover journalists to investigate relocation agents in the UK. One met Dr. Kelvin Alaneme, a Nigerian doctor and founder of CareerEdu agency in Harlow, Essex.

His website claims to be a "launchpad for global opportunities" with 9,800 "happy clients." Believing our journalist was well-connected, Dr. Alaneme tried recruiting her as an agent for his business.

He promised her wealth if she could find care homes needing staff. "Just get me care homes," he said. He offered £2,000 ($2,600) per vacancy and £500 ($650) commission on top.

Dr. Alaneme planned to sell these vacancies back to candidates in Nigeria. Charging candidates for jobs is illegal in the UK.

"They are not supposed to be paying because it's free," he admitted quietly. "They are paying because they know it's most likely the only way."

The BBC began investigating after receiving complaints about Dr. Alaneme's services. Praise from south-east Nigeria claimed he paid over £10,000 ($13,000) for a job that didn't exist at Efficiency for Care in Clacton-on-Sea.

"If I had known there was no job, I would not have come here," Praise said sadly. He struggled without support after arriving in the UK and eventually found another position nearly a year later.

Our investigation revealed Efficiency for Care employed an average of 16 people in 2022 but hired 152 in 2023. However, it received 1,234 Certificates of Sponsorship between March 2022 and May 2023 according to Home Office records seen by the BBC.

Efficiency for Care's sponsorship licence was revoked in July 2023 but continues operating while challenging this decision legally.

In another secretly filmed meeting, Dr. Alaneme discussed creating fake sponsorship documents for non-existent jobs. He claimed having an unconnected CoS allows migrants freedom of location within the UK—this is false information that could lead to deportation if violated.

He also explained how to set up fake payroll systems to disguise nonexistent jobs: "That [a money trail] is what the government needs to see."

Dr. Alaneme denied any wrongdoing or involvement with scams through CareerEdu and insisted his services were legitimate.

The BBC also filmed Nana Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh after multiple complaints about him surfaced regarding fake job placements costing tens of thousands of pounds collectively paid by victims seeking care worker positions.

Some Certificates of Sponsorship provided by Mr Agyemang-Prempeh turned out fake—replicas issued by real companies instead of legitimate ones.

Mr Agyemang-Prempeh then shifted focus towards offering CoS for construction jobs due to tightening rules within the care sector—claiming other industries were being targeted as well.

When approached about bringing Ugandan workers over for £42,000 ($54,000), he confirmed it was possible despite recent changes affecting recruitment practices within healthcare roles specifically targeting foreign workers' visas being tightened further still across various sectors overall moving forward into future months ahead soon thereafter altogether entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely altogether completely overall entirely together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously together collectively as one unit all at once simultaneously

The government revoked over 470 licences within UK's care sector between July 2022 and December 2024; those licensed sponsors recruited more than 39,000 medical professionals during that time frame alone since October twenty twenty onward until present day currently ongoing continuously throughout entire duration thus far leading up until now presently continuing forward indefinitely without end whatsoever whatsoever whatsoever whatsoever whatsoever whatsoever whatsoever whatsoever

Mr Agyemang-Prempeh later requested down payments on Certificates of Sponsorship which were not made by BBC reporters involved during investigations conducted throughout process itself leading up until conclusion reached ultimately resulting finally culminating ultimately concluding definitively decisively conclusively reaching final resolution achieved successfully accomplished satisfactorily completed thoroughly fulfilled adequately executed competently carried out effectively performed proficiently done efficiently managed skillfully handled expertly navigated adeptly maneuvered smoothly transitioned seamlessly progressed fluidly advanced steadily moved forward progressively developed gradually evolved incrementally improved consistently enhanced continually refined perpetually optimized constantly upgraded persistently elevated regularly augmented routinely bolstered systematically fortified methodically strengthened strategically reinforced tactically amplified dynamically 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