A UK-based care recruitment scam has left dozens of overseas workers reeling after they were swindled out of over £19,000 by Medrecruiter Limited, a company that claimed to facilitate visa sponsorship and employment. The victims, who hailed from countries including Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines, had invested in the prospect of working in the UK's care sector, only to find themselves at the mercy of a ruthless operation with no intention of delivering on its promises.
An investigation by the Insolvency Service revealed that Medrecruiter Limited operated from a virtual office, despite boasting nearly 6,000 carers on its books and supposedly working with over 500 care homes across the UK. However, the company was not listed on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors, rendering it incapable of legally offering visa sponsorship.
Prospective employees were invited to interviews, approved for care work, and then pressured into signing contracts and paying substantial upfront "consultation fees" of up to £1,199. Additional charges for training, uniforms, and processing followed, with requests for refunds consistently refused when victims inquired about the status of their applications.
Colette Mooney, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, noted that Medrecruiter Limited deliberately targeted vulnerable individuals seeking legitimate employment opportunities in the UK. "The company took money from people hoping to build a better life, fully aware it could not deliver on its promises," she emphasised.
Medrecruiter Limited, incorporated in December 2023, had misleadingly claimed on its website to have been trading since 2020. The company failed to file its required accounts and confirmation statement with Companies House and did not cooperate with the Insolvency Service's investigation. On Thursday 16 July 2026, the company was formally wound up at the High Court in London, with the Official Receiver appointed as its liquidator.