A job scam is the last kind of scam I ever thought I’d experience in my life. I had already shared the news with my mom, and now I’m going to have to tell her that the job is a scam. She was so happy for me. I feel so sad and conflicted. Every time I moved to the next stage of the job, I felt as though, “This is it!” $600/month seemed like a good start, and I started to envision myself doing things I’d hoped to do. I almost turned down an acting job because I thought the dates would clash.
I really hope God compensates me by blessing me before this year runs out. I’m actually afraid to apply for jobs now because this job scam was so well-curated.
I applied for a customer service role at AfriCOPE, an HR company that recruits Africans. Before applying, I checked their LinkedIn profile, and everything seemed legit. I moved forward with the application and made it to the next stage, which was the assessment phase. It took me almost two hours to complete it. Yesterday, I received the kind of email every job applicant hopes to get—I made it to the final stage. This happened within two weeks.
This final stage required candidates to submit their transcripts. They provided us with a website where we could order our transcripts, but we would need to pay a certain amount via the website. Initially, it seemed reasonable to ask for a candidate's transcript to vet the application, since some candidates might lie about their qualifications. However, what felt odd was that submitting the transcript wasn’t a guarantee that I’d get the job. My transcript contains information that’s relevant to an employer, but only if it’s necessary—not to a potential employer.
Because of these doubts, I decided to check LinkedIn again, and this time, I saw recent posts about AfriCOPE being a scam. Who could’ve thought? The same HR specialists who didn’t mention anything about them the last time I checked LinkedIn are now the ones exposing them—with legit proof. 
I would’ve paid the money via the transcript request website they provided if I hadn’t had mixed feelings. I was wondering why I needed to submit my transcript for something non-academic. Thank God I went back to LinkedIn. Apparently, everyone who applied for the role got to the final stage—everyone! Wow! Just when I thought I was close? I feel emotionally drained. I can’t even think. I just hope this is a stepping stone to greatness. I hope I heal soon so that I can start applying for jobs again. I hope to get a high-paying job soon. I hope to rise again. And I thank God for the mixed feelings I had.
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Please, if you applied for any job role at AfriCOPE, cease communication immediately. They are a scam!