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In one of the fake induction letters, it showed that trainees would be inducted at no cost beginning March 22, 2024.
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All their bills, they said, would be catered for by management except food and drinks which would be at the beneficiaries' cost.
Kenya Red Cross has flagged as fake job offers doing rounds on social media and induction letters purporting to invite successful applicants for orientation.
The organization on Wednesday called for caution saying the fake job openings are part of a larger scheme by scammers to defraud unsuspecting Kenyans.
“There have been numerous attempts to defraud Kenyans through fake job advertisements. We urge the public to remain vigilant and verify all job offers,” the Red Cross said in a statement on X.
In one of the fake induction letters, it showed that trainees would be inducted at no cost beginning March 22.
All their bills, they said, would be catered for by management except food and drinks which would be at the beneficiaries' cost.
“During the exercise, you will be served with conventional breakfast with appetizers, tea and snacks during the breaks (2 tea breaks); buffet during lunch and supper and a cocktail at the end of the day,” the letter reads in part.
“Having catered for logistics, accommodation and training costs, the Red Cross management expects you to pay for your food and drinks. The calculated cost of food and drinks amounts to Sh925 per day per individual. The training shall last for 14 days. The food and drink total is Sh12,950.”
Those who received the letters were directed to make the payments in advance latest March 20, 2024, at 1.30 pm “for effective planning”.
They were promised a refund.
“The amount paid shall be refunded by the Red Cross by the end of the first month of your service. We wish you all the best as you propose to join our staff.”
Kenya Red Cross said the job offers are bogus and advised interested job seekers to visit the organization’s website for all job openings.
“Genuine openings at the Kenya Red Cross Society are exclusively posted on our official platforms: http://redcross.or.ke/careers,” Red Cross said.
This is the second time Red Cross has warned Kenyans to be wary of fake job advertisements online.
On February 27, Red Cross flagged yet another fake advertisement and advised Kenyans to report such cases via the toll-free number 0800-720-577.
It came just three weeks after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issued an alert over a surge in online cryptocurrency scamming cases.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin said the directorate was receiving an influx of cases where unsuspecting Kenyans were lured to join online cryptocurrency investment platforms and ended up losing their investments.
"The DCI cautions Kenyans and any other person to beware of this scam, and advises them to verify the authenticity of any online investment platforms with Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the Communication Authority (CA) respectively," Amin said in a statement on February 7.