How to report job scam in Nigeria: 5 offices to call before you pay again

Tips · 2026-11-06 · 9 min read

To report a job scam in Nigeria, match the report to the problem: NAPTIP if the offer smells like trafficking, local police for any fraud, Scamwatch and the Home Affairs Border Watch form if the scam uses Australia's name, and the Ministry of Labour if a licensed agency cheated you. Do it fast, and keep every message, receipt and voice note as proof. Here is who takes which report, what to hand over and what to stop doing right now.

Where to report a job scam in Nigeria

No single office takes every kind of japa scam. The Australian High Commission asks people to report suspected scams to local police, to Scamwatch, or through the Home Affairs Border Watch online form. NAPTIP and the Labour Ministry cover two other situations. The table shows the split.

Your situation	Who to report to
The offer looks like trafficking: travel to another country, a "bring cash" instruction, a handler who wants your passport	NAPTIP, on 627 or *627#, the toll-free line 234 703 0000 203, or 0800CALLNAPTIP (08002255627874)
You lost money to a fake employer, agent or "visa officer"	Local police, and keep copies of every transfer
The scam used Australia's name: fake Home Affairs emails, fake job offers, fake visas	Scamwatch or the Home Affairs Border Watch online form
A licensed private employment agency cheated you	The Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, for the attention of the Director, Employment and Wages Department
Someone calls themselves a migration agent	Check the OMARA register first, then report to the bodies above if the name is not on it

NAPTIP: when the "job" could be trafficking

NAPTIP takes reports of human trafficking, so use it when the story has the shape of a lure: a job in another country, fast travel, and a stranger who controls the paperwork. In March 2024 NAPTIP warned that traffickers lure job seekers with fake oil, gas and gold mining jobs in Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia, telling victims to bring up to N850,000. It urged people to "exercise caution, ask questions, and seek a second opinion" before accepting offers.

On February 16, 2026 NiDCOM also warned young Nigerians against unverified job offers and travel arrangements abroad, after 13 Nigerians were rescued from trafficking in Ghana. Our guide to NAPTIP's warning on fake jobs abroad lists the red flags in more detail, and the visit visa work contract trap shows a version that targets people heading to Australia.

Local police: the report that creates a record

If you paid someone, go to the police and make a statement, even if the amount feels small or embarrassing. A police report gives you a dated record, and the High Commission names local police first among the places to report. Bring the phone number or email the scammer used, the account details you paid into, screenshots of the chat and any "offer letter" or "visa" they sent.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has warned that "no credible employer demands pre-employment payments for whatever reason from prospective employees", and advises job seekers to disregard any offer once a request for money is made. Its warning is a useful line to quote when you explain what happened, but its fact sheet does not give a reporting channel, so this guide does not send you there.

Scamwatch and Border Watch: when the scam uses Australia's name

Many Nigerian job seekers meet scams that borrow Australian branding. The Australian High Commission warns West Africans about false offers of employment and visas to Australia, fake Australia Awards scholarship agents and fraudulent offers of employment with Australian cruise ship companies. It says: "No Australian Diplomat or Australian Border Force Special Agent will contact you offering jobs or visas."

Report these through Scamwatch or the Home Affairs Border Watch online form. Scamwatch lists the warning signs of job scams: unexpected contact on WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram, a quick hiring process with no interview, and a request to pay a "recruitment fee" or for training materials before you start. You can read them on the Scamwatch jobs and employment scams page.

Two quick tests help you decide whether to file a report. Legitimate Australian Government border-related email addresses end with @dfat.gov.au or @border.gov.au, and anything ending in .net, .com or anything else is a scam. And a visa grant that cannot be found in VEVO is probably fake. Our walkthrough of a fake Australian job offer email shows the checks in order, and the cruise ship job scam post covers two offers the High Commission names.

The Labour Ministry: when a licensed agency let you down

Holding a licence does not prove good behaviour. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued the Recruiter's Licence to private employment agencies and labour contractors since 2007, and there are two categories: domestic placements and international placements. Complaints from workers of private employment agencies go to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, for the attention of the Director, Employment and Wages Department.

Penalties for licence violations range from reprimand, suspension of licence and withdrawal of licence to prosecution, depending on the gravity of the offence. The rules and the complaint route sit on the NELEX Recruiter's Licence page. Before you pay any agency in future, use the steps in how to check if your recruitment agency is really licensed.

What to do in the first hour, step by step

Stop paying. Scammers who get one payment usually ask for another. Visa scammers claim connections at embassies, demand repeated fees and may issue fake visas that lead to arrest at exit or entry ports.
Save the evidence. Screenshot chats, emails with full headers where you can, voice notes, receipts and the account details you paid into.
Do not send more documents. Scamwatch advises never sending your passport or identity documents to an employer or recruitment firm unless you are certain they are genuine.
Pick the right office from the table above and report to each one that fits. Using two or three is normal.
Tell your bank what happened as soon as you can, and write down the date and time you reported to each office.
Warn people you know. The same offer is often sent to a whole WhatsApp group or a whole neighbourhood.

Is your "agent" really a registered migration agent?

If the person who took your money said they were a migration agent, check the Register of Migration Agents on the OMARA website. Each registered agent has a Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN), and someone claiming to be an agent without a MARN or OMARA listing is not legitimate. Our post on registered migration agents and japa consultants explains how to run both checks before paying, and which agent fees are real and which are a red flag covers the money side.

One more reality check helps: no one can promise you an Australian visa, and anyone offering a visa, permanent residency or citizenship is misleading you. People who engage in visa fraud through a scam agent risk visa refusal or cancellation and being banned from Australia for up to 10 years. That is why reporting early, and keeping your own records clean, matters.

Common mistakes after being scammed

Staying silent out of shame. Scammers count on it, and nobody can act on a report that was never made.
Chasing the scammer for a refund. Extra "release fees" are usually the next step in the same scam.
Reporting to only one office. A fake Home Affairs email and a lost payment are two separate problems with two separate channels.
Deleting the chat in anger. The messages are your evidence.
Assuming a licence means safe. Check the licence, then keep every receipt anyway.

If you are still looking for work abroad, apply only to employers you can verify. Real sponsored vacancies, such as this baker role in Mackay, are listed with the details in the open. When you are ready to apply again, a clean, honest CV from Build AI CV is a good first step, and nobody should charge you to "secure" a job.

Frequently asked questions

Who do I call first if I think a job offer is human trafficking?

Call NAPTIP on 627 or *627#, on the toll-free line 234 703 0000 203, or on 0800CALLNAPTIP (08002255627874). Do this before you travel or hand over a passport, and tell someone you trust where you are going.

Can I report a fake Australian job offer from Nigeria?

Yes. The Australian High Commission asks people to report suspected scams to local police, to Scamwatch, or through the Home Affairs Border Watch online form. Include the sender's email address and any documents they sent.

Where do I complain about a licensed recruitment agency?

Complaints from workers of private employment agencies go to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, for the attention of the Director, Employment and Wages Department. Penalties range from a reprimand to withdrawal of licence or prosecution.

Will the Australian High Commission help me get a job or a visa?

No. The High Commission states that no Australian diplomat or Australian Border Force special agent will contact you offering jobs or visas. Anyone who says otherwise is not who they claim to be, so keep their messages and report them.

Is a visa that I cannot find in VEVO real?

A visa grant that cannot be found in VEVO is probably fake. Ask the sender for the visa grant number and check it yourself, and do not pay any further fees until you have confirmed it.

Key takeaways

Match the report to the problem: NAPTIP for trafficking, police for fraud, Scamwatch or Border Watch for Australia-linked scams.
Complaints about licensed agencies go to the Minister of Labour and Employment.
Stop paying, save evidence and send no more documents.
No legitimate Australian official offers jobs or visas by email or chat.
Check any "migration agent" on the OMARA register before you pay.

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