BEWARE: BE SAFE - RED FLAGS - IT MAY NOT BE THE JOB YOU SIGNED UP FOR

They promise drivers, mechanics, security, kitchen, or other support jobs away from the front. Thousands of Africans from over 36 countries have been recruited to fight for Russia through fraudulent job offers.

These fraudulent recruitment campaigns advertise non-combat roles as safer options. But after you sign up, the assignment is changed. A job sold as safe service can still put you in danger on the front line.

The job you were promised is not the job you will do.

The job may be real, but it is not the job you will actually do. You may be promised a driver, mechanic, kitchen, security, or rear-unit role and told you will not go to the front. After you sign up, your unit and duties are changed. Even contracts for support roles put you in combat danger. The estimated survival time for newly arrived recruits on the frontline is less than 30 minutes.

Why you?

These networks target you because you can work and because your family needs money. That is not a weakness. It means you have value. Do not let them exploit it.

How the job can change

The warning sign is not only a fake company. It can be a real military contract for a role that was described as safer than it turns out to be.

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Explain the importance of safe work abroad

Ensuring safe work abroad is critical because fraudulent recruitment networks actively exploit job seekers, leading to severe human rights abuses, financial ruin, and immediate physical danger.  As shown on the Kazi Salama platform, thousands of workers—particularly from vulnerable backgrounds—are targeted by deceptive campaigns promising high salaries and low-risk civilian roles, only to find themselves trapped in hazardous situations or forced into active war zones.

The visual checklist highlights several critical reasons why prioritizing safety and verification before traveling abroad is essential:

1. Protection Against Deceptive Contracts

Recruitment networks frequently use "bait-and-switch" tactics. They verbally promise safe support positions (such as drivers, cooks, or factory workers), but the actual contract gives recruiters or foreign employers the authority to assign entirely different, dangerous duties once you arrive. Safe practices ensure you read and fully comprehend every obligation in a language you understand before signing. 

2. Safeguarding Personal Freedom and Identity

A major red flag in human trafficking and unsafe labor migration is the confiscation of travel documents. Ensuring your passport remains in your lawful possession at all times is vital to maintaining your freedom of movement and preventing employers from trapping you in an abusive situation. 

3. Verification of Legal and Legitimate Channels

Unregulated recruiters operate outside the law, leaving workers with zero legal protections if things go wrong. Verifying that a recruiter is officially registered with national labor authorities and independently researching the employer minimizes the risk of falling victim to human trafficking rings,. 

4. Preventing Fatal Risks and Exploitation

In extreme cases, fraudulent job offers serve as a pipeline to conflict zones, where deceptive military contracts place individuals on front lines with critically low survival rates. In other scenarios, "factory jobs" turn out to be facilities that are active military targets. Proper safety screening helps workers realize when an offer is "too good to be true" before placing themselves in life-threatening environments. 

If you or someone you know is currently evaluating an overseas job offer, would you like help with:

• Identifying specific red flags in the job description or contract?

• Finding official contact information or hotlines for support organizations in your specific country?

• Tailoring a list of questions to ask the recruiter based on the industry?