Travel Visa Scams in Cameroon
Travel or visa scams are not new in Cameroon, but they are becoming rampant. So many travel agents have capitalized on the desperation of most Cameroonians eager to travel abroad in search of greener pastures.
These scammers are succeeding because many Cameroonians are still of the opinion that you need someone to help apply for a visa, whereas you can apply for visas to most countries by yourself.
Some of these scams take many forms, and they are not limited to visa applications scams via travel agents; some scammers even catfish their victims on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok etc, while some create companies and even open offices and end up issuing fake visas and defrauding their desperate victims after promising them too good to be true travel deals.
In this write-up, we will distinguish between unsuccessful travel visa applications and visa or travel scams.
Unsuccessful Travel Visa Applications
This happens when the embassy of a particular country denies a visa. Travel agents merely assist the visa procurement process and are not in themselves embassies, and cannot guarantee the issuance of a visa.
The case of visa denial cannot be categorized as a scam, but most travel agents should sensitize their clients and make them understand that a visa is issued by the embassy alone. There are numerous instances of victims of visa rejections bringing criminal action against their agents.
Travel Visa Scams in Cameroon
So many fraudulent persons purporting to be travel agents, promising and guaranteeing not just visas but also employment contracts.
The most rampant travel visa scams in Cameroon are for countries like Canada, the USA, the UK, and South American countries, and even the Middle East and even Asian countries like China, Japan, Korea, etc.
Some of these agents have ruined the lives of so many families who go the extra mile to acquire money to send their kids abroad, only to find out that everything was a hoax.
These agents don’t only use those who are desperate for visas, but also those who are desperate for employment in Cameroon. Some of the agents who are resident abroad turn to set up offices in Cameroon and employ innocent Cameroonians to work for them. When the deal goes south, most victims resort to instituting legal proceedings against those workers, since they cannot find the masterminds.
What happens to Workers of Travel Agencies in Cameroon whose bosses are resident abroad?
Some of these travel agents abroad employ Cameroonians who act as their workers in Cameroon and end up finding themselves in trouble when irate victims are unable to get to the principal owners of travel agencies.
At times, payments are made to these workers, or the victims are sent to meet them to sign contracts or hand over supporting documents.
Desperate victims in the pursuit of justice end up instituting criminal complaints against travel agents, or when the owner or the main travel agent is abroad, their employees end up being scapegoats. Most of the time, they are charged for being accessories to scams as provided for in Section 97 of the Cameroonian Penal Code and theft by false pretenses, as provided for by Section 318(c) of the same law cited earlier.
Can Individuals who recommend travel agents become victims too?
Individuals who recommend travel agents to others who turn out to be scammers can be charged with section 97 of the Cameroonian penal code cited above. To be on the safe side, don’t recommend any travel agent to anyone.
We have this phenomenon of people asking those who have successfully travelled abroad, or their parents or relatives, to put them in touch with the agent who assisted in obtaining the visa. In this scenario, even if you want to help by putting them in contact with the agents, you should have them sign a risk acknowledgment document.
What to do before accepting a job offer from a travel agency in Cameroon?
Make sure the travel agency or company is duly registered in Cameroon, and also make sure you are given an employment contract.
You should also make sure you are not the one receiving money on behalf of your employer, or it should be included in your job description.
How can legitimate travel agents limit the number of lawsuits against them?
In Cameroon, you don’t need a special license to operate as a travel agent or company.
Legitimate individual who operate the services of assisting in obtaining visas in Cameroon should make sure they operate as a legal company by either setting up their venture as a company, which might take any of the forms provided for by the OHADA Uniform Act on Commercial Companies and Economic Interest Groups.
They should equally have their clients sign a well-drafted contract before taking any engagement with their customers, which should be drafted by a legal expert, taking into consideration how conflicts arising from the contract can be resolved, and even how much might be refunded in case the embassy denies granting a visa.
How to Avoid Travel Visa Scams in Cameroon
- Make sure the travel agency is a registered company in Cameroon. If using an immigration consultant, verify their credentials through official regulatory bodies, such as the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants for Canada.
- Only deal with official government websites, embassies, or consulates for visa information and applications.
- Don’t hand over money to an individual. It is preferable to pay into a bank account bearing the company’s name, or if you have to pay an individual, it should be the principal agent.
- Or you can create a block account with the agent, and money would be handed over to him only after the Visa has been granted, or he refunds what you guys agreed he would refund if the visa application was not successful.
- Always make sure the visa agent gives you a breakdown of how the money would be spent.
- Do not engage in any travel offer secretively; always share with people you trust, as they can help in identifying red flags.
- Whenever an agent or any travel agent presents any lucrative travel offer, do your research about that country’s standards of living. How can someone promise you a job opportunity for an unskilled worker in a less developed country and you believe?
- Whenever someone you don’t know writes you on social media, make sure they introduce themselves first. And if you can’t make out the person, ignore or block them, even if you do recognize them, but if it’s been without you guys being in communication, try verifying with another person, or even request a video call.
- Always consult knowledgeable people.
- Report Scams
Some of the tactics employed by travel visa scammers in Cameroon to deceive victims
- Guaranteed Outcomes and Fake Jobs: Scammers promise guaranteed visas, work permits, or jobs abroad, often in countries like USA, the UK, France, Switzerland or Canada, which legitimate agents can never guarantee.
- Impersonation: Fraudsters impersonate embassy officials or registered migration agents, sometimes using photos of real staff from official social media pages.
- Unofficial Communication : They communicate via social media or messaging apps (like WhatsApp, Telegram)
- Payment Methods: They demand payments through unofficial channels like MTN Mobile Money or Orange Money rather than secure bank accounts.
- Fake Documents: They forge documents, such as fake visa approval letters or employment authorizations, to make the process appear legitimate.
- Large Advanced fee Payments: Scammers often demand large upfront payments, with vague promises of future steps, and then disappear or block the victim when more money or proof is requested.
What to do if you are a victim of a Travel Visa Scam in Cameroon?
If you are a victim of a visa travel scam or any other scam in Cameroon, endeavor to solicit the services of a Cameroonian Lawyer or a Cameroonina Law firm to help you in protecting your rights.
Article by Bless Amabo Fuh, ESQ, Barrister at Law
This article on Travel Visa Scams in Cameroon should in no way be taken as legal advice, as it is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter for informational purposes. Specialist advice CAN be sought here