UK Visa Scams Squeeze Millions From Would-Be Care Workers
Recent changes to immigration policy won’t do anything for people who’ve been exploited while seeking jobs in the UK. But they may worsen the care-worker shortage.
Mr. Brown (left), a self-described “scammer hunter,” and his de facto bodyguard Sting.
Photographer: Carlotta Cardana for Bloomberg Businessweek
On a sunny Sunday in Bedford, England, the peace of a sleepy suburban street is broken by a man rapping at one of the doors. Mr. Brown, as he calls himself, is hoping to speak to the man of the house. A self-styled “scammer hunter,” Mr. Brown believes the man is part of a network wringing tens of thousands of pounds out of would-be migrant health-care workers in the UK. These people are desperate for a job, and that’s made them vulnerable to deception and abuse.
Behind the frosted glass panes of the front door, a male figure appears and then ducks out of sight. A child inside shouts, “Daddy, Daddy!” and is swiftly silenced. No one answers the door.