A UK-based Nigerian doctor, Dr. Kelvin Alaneme, has been caught in an undercover investigation by BBC Africa Eye for allegedly scamming desperate job seekers by selling fake job opportunities in the UK care sector.
Dr. Alaneme, founder of CareerEdu, was secretly recorded boasting about his scheme, where he charged thousands of pounds for non-existent jobs, leaving many victims stranded in the UK without work or means of survival.
Fake Job Offers Exposed
During the investigation, Alaneme told an undercover reporter posing as a potential business partner:
“Just get me care homes. I can make you a millionaire.”
He claimed that each job secured from a UK care home was worth £2,000 ($2,600), with an additional £500 ($650) commission. These job slots were then sold to Nigerian job seekers, violating UK employment laws, which prohibit charging candidates for jobs.
One victim, Praise, paid over £10,000 ($13,000) for a care job at Efficiency for Care in Clacton-on-Sea but arrived in the UK only to find the job did not exist.
Shocking Findings on Sponsorship Fraud
Investigations revealed that Efficiency for Care fraudulently issued over 1,234 Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) between March 2022 and May 2023, despite officially employing only 152 workers in 2023. The UK government revoked its sponsorship license in July 2023, barring it from hiring foreign workers.
Alaneme was also found to be involved in a scheme that faked payroll records to help migrants stay in the UK illegally.
Alaneme Denies Fraud, Threatens Legal Action
Confronted with the allegations, Alaneme denied running a scam, claiming that CareerEdu only linked job seekers to legitimate employers and that fees covered training, transport, and accommodation. He insisted that unsuccessful candidates received full refunds.
In response to the BBC report, Alaneme released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“I have never scammed or defrauded anyone in my life. And I never will.”
He claimed CareerEdu had successfully relocated over 5,000 Nigerians and planned to sue the BBC for defamation.
UK Government Vows Crackdown on Visa Fraud
In reaction to the investigation, the UK Home Office promised tougher measures against fraudulent recruiters and employers abusing the visa system.
A spokesperson stated:
“The government has announced robust new action against shameless employers who abuse the visa system, with tough measures that will ban businesses who flout UK employment laws from sponsoring overseas workers.”
With thousands of victims left stranded and millions lost, the crackdown on fraudulent recruitment agencies is expected to intensify in the coming months.
