Avoiding scams

Typical patterns in Ghana: fake job and care agencies, visa agents, appointment sellers, blocked-account fraud, romance scams.

Typical patterns

• Appointment sellers: people or pages charging for visa slots. The embassy warns that misuse of the booking system can block you.
• Fake job offers: a "German employer" asks you to pay for a work permit, "visa processing", flights, a medical or "training" before you start. A real employer does not charge you for the job or the visa. Use Make it in Germany and the Federal Employment Agency to see how real offers look.
• Private care and nursing agencies: German law lets only the Federal Employment Agency recruit in, and place workers from, the states on a list that includes Ghana (Nursing and health). A private agency selling a care job abroad is a warning sign.
• "Visa agents" and "guaranteed visa" services: they have no special access. You can apply yourself in the online portal.
• Forged documents and "helpers" for verification: the embassy says it does not work with anyone who prepares directions for document verification and no staff member does so for a fee (Documents). Forged papers mean rejection and a warning-system entry.
• Fake embassy pages and e-mails: use only the diplo.de addresses linked on this site.
• Blocked-account and proof-of-funds fraud: offers to "show" money, or to send it to a private account.
• Romance and "sponsor" scams: a partner or sponsor abroad who asks for money for fees, tickets or a "marriage visa" before you meet.

We name no companies. These are widely reported patterns; the embassy statements are linked.

If it happened to you

• Stop paying and keep messages and receipts. Ask the embassy about a suspicious offer through the contact form. Police reporting channels in Ghana and Germany were not checked.