Safe job search

1. Never pay to get a job

You should never pay to apply for a job, to be shortlisted, to receive an offer, or for sponsorship. That includes "consultation", "processing" or "registration" fees, training or uniform you must buy first, and money for a certificate of sponsorship.

Employers and agencies on EDWartens UK may not charge candidates, and we remove adverts that ask. We never charge you. If anyone asks you to pay, stop, keep the messages, and report it to us.

A sponsoring employer pays its own sponsor licence fee, certificate of sponsorship fee and Immigration Skills Charge. Check the Home Office rules for your route before you agree to repay or share any cost.

2. Common scams

• Fees to apply. You are told you have the job, then asked for money for checks, training, a uniform or a visa.
• Fake sponsorship offers. Someone offers a certificate of sponsorship or a "care visa" for a fee. The care worker route closed to new overseas applicants on 22 July 2025, so any offer of one is suspect (checked 28 October 2026).
• Overpayment. A "company" pays you too much by cheque or transfer and asks you to send the difference back. The first payment later fails and you lose your money.
• Data harvesting. An advert exists only to collect your CV, passport scan, bank details or national insurance number.
• Money mule roles. You are asked to receive money and pass it on, or to reship goods. That can be a crime for you.
• Too good to be true. Very high pay for no experience, or pay by the day with no interview.

3. Red flags

• You are asked to pay anything, or to move to WhatsApp, Telegram or another chat app.
• The offer comes from a personal email address, or the employer cannot be found on Companies House.
• You are asked for a passport scan, bank details or national insurance number before an interview or an offer.
• An offer arrives without an interview, or an unsolicited message offers a job you did not apply for.
• The advert is vague about the work, the employer or the pay, or the pay is far above the going rate for the job.
• You are pushed to decide fast, or told to keep the offer secret.

4. How to check a sponsor

1. Search for the company on the Home Office Register of Licensed Sponsors, or use our visa sponsor checker.
2. Check the route and rating listed. A company can be on the register for some routes and not others.
3. Look the company up on Companies House. Check it is active and that its address and directors fit what you were told.
4. Being on the register is not a job offer. A sponsorship label on a job means the employer says it holds a licence. It is not a promise of a job or a visa, and the Home Office decides visas.
5. The employer must check your right to work before you start. We do not check it.

A real case: on 23 July 2026 the Insolvency Service announced that Medrecruiter Ltd had been wound up. It collected fees of up to £1,199 from 23 overseas workers, who lost over £19,000 between them, and it was not on the register. The Insolvency Service says to check that a company is on the approved register before paying for sponsorship services. Read the announcement (checked 28 October 2026).

5. What we check, and what we do not

• We verify every employer that posts directly, and our team reviews its first job. Verification means the company exists and the person registering works for it. It is not an endorsement.
• Our automatic checks look for fee wording, wording that may discriminate and common scam signs. They are fixed rules, and a person reviews anything they flag.
• We do not check adverts listed from other sites, and we cannot promise any advert is genuine, accurate or still open. Those adverts link to the original, where you apply.
• We do not check identity, references or right to work for employers or for candidates.

No job board can promise every job is safe. Use the red flags above for every job, however you found it.

6. If you have been scammed

1. Stop paying and stop replying. Keep every message, receipt and advert link.
2. Contact your bank straight away. They may be able to stop or recall a payment. If you paid by card, ask about chargeback.
3. Report fraud to Report Fraud (the service that replaced Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
4. Tell us with our report form, so we can remove the advert and the account. Email info@wartens.com if you cannot use the form.
5. Report immigration crime, including false sponsorship offers, to the Home Office: report an immigration or border crime, or call the Immigration Enforcement hotline on 0300 123 7000.
6. If you were worked or housed in poor conditions, or your passport was kept, call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700. If you are in danger, call 999.

7. Agencies and the Fair Work Agency

Employment agencies in England, Scotland and Wales must follow the Conduct Regulations, including never charging work-seekers for finding work. The Fair Work Agency enforces them. You can report an agency to the Fair Work Agency, as well as to us.

Common questions