Kenyans Beware, Viral Fake Job Ad Exploits KCB Foundation’s Philanthropic Work and UN Training Agency’s Name

Kenyans beware, viral fake job ad exploits KCB Foundation’s philanthropic work and UN training agency’s name

IN SHORT: A job advert circulating online claims that the KCB Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of KCB Group, and the United Nations agency Unitar are recruiting across Kenya. However, several details suggest that it is all a scam.

The KCB Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Group, one of East Africa’s largest financial services providers.

The foundation runs programmes like 2jiajiri, Kiswahili for let’s employ ourselves. It provides skills training and funding for youth entrepreneurship.

Established in 2007, the foundation has invested an estimated KSh3 billion (about US$23 million) in community programmes in Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi.

In this context, a job advertisement circulating on Facebook claims that the KCB Foundation is working with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (Unitar) to recruit for several positions across Kenya.

Unitar is a UN agency that works with governments and organisations to support sustainable development, diplomacy and disaster risk management.

The ad states that the partnership has procured 58,000 electric motorbikes and is looking to hire 18,600 riders. It is also looking for accountants, trainers and support staff.

Applicants should send their CV and cover letter to [email protected] email by 5 February 2025, mentioning the position sought in the subject line.

The ad also appears here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)

But is it legit? We checked.

Suspicious job ad

A search of the KCB Foundation’s official website and social media pages reveals no such job advertisements. Unitar also has no public record of this recruitment drive, casting doubt on its legitimacy.

The advertisement also asks applicants to send their documents to “[email protected]”, which is unusual. Official emails from the KCB Foundation usually end in @kcbgroup.com, while Unitar uses @unitar.org.

The ad contains several red flags, including:

Unrealistic recruitment figures: Having 58,000 electric motorbikes and thousands of vacancies would be a large, publicly announced initiative, yet there is no record of it. Poor formatting and grammar: The ad has inconsistencies, such as incorrect salary figures. The salary for a constituency supervisor is written with a period (65.650) instead of a comma (65,650). Urgency and vague details: It pushes for quick applications without providing clear hiring procedures or links to an official careers page.

Furthermore, the KCB Group posted the same ad with the word “FAKE” printed across it.

“Our attention has been drawn to this poster. This is FALSE. Please note all official KCB information is communicated through our respective platforms or other official Bank channels,” the group wrote on its official Facebook page.

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How to spot fake job ads

Check the official website: Always verify job listings on the organisation’s official site or social media pages. If you cannot find them, they are probably fake. Look for professional email domains: Avoid job ads that use free email services like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook instead of company branded emails. Be cautious of vague job descriptions: Legitimate companies provide clear job roles, requirements, and application procedures. Avoid ads with grammatical errors: Authentic companies maintain high standards in their official communications. Never share sensitive information: Be wary if a job ad asks for personal details such as national identification numbers, bank details, or upfront payments.

This fake job advertisement also appears here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

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