Nkosentsha Khumalo- Reporter
Last year, a Chinese national Zhao Jiaotong was arrested after he swindled several Zimbabweans of large sums of United States dollars in a scam called E-Creator.
Jiaotong connived with other Zimbabwe nationals and registered an e-commerce investment scheme that prompted desperate Zimbabweans to write reviews about E-Creator at the same time investing on the platform. Writing reviews for E-Creator attracted payment per review while investing ensured more gain.
Those who wanted to get rich quick fell for the scam.
Jiaotong was arrested having tried to run with over US$ 1 million of investors’ funds.
Seemingly, Zimbabweans never learn. Another scammer has hit again. This time the scammer targeted those who wanted to leave the country for greener pastures.
Unfortunately, the country’s immense challenging economic crisis, fueled by soaring inflation, high rate of unemployment and limited job opportunities has left many desperate job seekers falling prey to unscrupulous business people.
International employment scammers are taking advantage of the situation in the country and have identified a way of swindling unsuspecting diaspora headed job seekers of large sums of money. These scammers have emerged from the shadows offering a passage way to those who are so keen in leaving the country.
Another scammer has hit the headlines after he took money from several people promising them jobs in foreign lands.
The Zimbabwean national, Afias Thomas Mathe was based in Russia came back to the country to start Mega Consulting firm.
The company’s core business was to find and assist Zimbabweans who wanted to leave the country and go to the diaspora.
Recently, many clients from the Mega Consultancy firm have been left leaking their wounds after being tied on false hopes and swindled of their hard earned cash.
The agreement was that if they paid certain amounts of cash, they would be assisted in securing employment contracts overseas, with all the required necessary documents.
Just like E-Creator’s Zhao Jiaotong, Mega Consultancy clients have accused the company director, Afias Thomas Mathe from Nkulumane in Bulawayo of ‘fraud’ for failing to meet contractual agreement of securing them job opportunities overseas as he had promised.
In the eyes of the public, Mega Consultancy is an ‘educational consultancy firm that provides remarkable abroad studying and exchange programs’. However, there seems to be more than what meets the eye.
According to disgruntled clients, the company has been purporting to be securing employment opportunities for job seekers wishing to travel and work in other countries.
One couple, Owen Ndudzo and Kumbudzani Tshuma are disheartened after losing a total of US$1 450 to Mega Consultancy owner last year after signing a contract which stated that the husband would be assisted with securing a job overseas.
The couple said other requirements stated in the contract included being assisted with VISA and accommodation, but they never received any assistance.
“We paid a total amount of UD$1 450 to this company hoping that the owner will fix my husband’s papers to travel for a job to Poland but its been a year and there is still nothing.
“We confronted him and he said he will refund us our money since he failed to secure the Visa but he is no longer answering our calls and his patner, Ronald is failing to help us so we now need our money back, “Kumbudzani clamored.
She said they once reported the matter to the Central Police Station and Afias, who came from Russia was taken in for questioning.
“He managed to persuade the officers to give him another chance after assuring them that he will deliver within a month but he still has not taken any action.
” The fact that this Afias guy wil be online and keeps ignoring my calls, but have the audacity to post on his status is not good at all. Is it possible that he can spend 2 or 3 days in a cell then maybe he will be humble, there is no peace at all in my house because of that. “
Praisemore Tinotenda Dzirutwe said she lost a total sum of US$1 800 to the firm, after she approached them seeking to be assisted with securing a job overseas.
“I approached the owner of the company seeking to be assisted with securing a job overseas but they did not deliver. At first they told me that I should pay US$800 for registration fee so that they could start searching for the job and I paid it.
“I was also asked to pay US$1 000 upfront so that they could arrange for me a Visa and accommodation and I paid this money in cash but it has been since last year but they have not given me anything.
“I’m now desperate and I don’t know what to do because the person is no longer answering our calls. We are afraid to report the matter to the police because the case might take too long and I need my money back,” She said.
Another Client Sandra said, “for me it has been 6 months but he had said the whole process takes 3 months, he even gave me something from Czech Republic knowing very well that there are other people who are still waiting on him he has not yet attended to.
“I lost a total sum of US$800 which I paid in September last year and the contract stated that the US$800 is for registration and then looking for a job overseas for me within 3 months.”
She said the owner has stopped returning her calls and is nowhere to be found.
Another client only known as Nkosi inunciated that he engaged the company because they had successfully assisted his sister to go to Poland under a Student scholarship.
“Then they also told me that they do job vacancies, I applied and paid all the required amounts of money, I still have their side of the contract and mine.
“I started this process last year February and it’s now a year down the line but they have been telling me stories. They had said they will assist me with a work permit and a job overseas but they did not deliver.”
Efforts to get comments from Afias were fruitless as he did not answer his phone when he was contacted for comments.
Zim GBC reporters went to the offices but the people that they found also said they are looking for him.
Responding to one question via WhatsApp, Afias only said,” I am not aware of these accusations.”
After that, he went mum.
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