IN SHORT: A graphic posted on Facebook claims Kenya’s Social Health Authority is recruiting for 28 roles. But the ad has all the hallmarks of a scam – a fake email address, spelling and grammatical errors, and even misidentifying the authority as a “health provider”.
A job advert on Facebook claims that the Social Health Authority, Kenya’s new state-owned health insurer, is recruiting.
The Social Health Authority pools contributions, buys health services and pays for quality services for beneficiaries. It also funds services for vulnerable persons.
The controversial authority, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund, is part of president William Ruto's reforms to deliver on his promise of affordable and quality healthcare.
The ad claims the authority needs human resources officers, social workers, accountants, lab technicians, nurses and clinicians, among others.
Applicants must hold a degree, diploma, or certificate from a recognised institution and be Kenyan citizens aged 18 or over. They must also be of sound mind and fluent in English, Kiswahili, or a local language (the latter specifically for community educators).
According to the advertisement, the required documents include a certificate of compliance from the Kenya Revenue Authority, proof of registration with the health authority, National Social Security Fund membership, and a valid national identity card.
To apply for these positions, applicants must submit a cover letter and an updated CV with at least two references. These documents should be emailed to the email address provided.
This job advert appears here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But is the authority really hiring? We checked.
Fake job ad
There are a number of red flags that suggest the ad is not from the government insurer.
The email address given – [email protected] – is unlikely to belong to a government entity. Government agencies usually have emails that end in a “.go.ke” domain. For example, the insurer’s email is [email protected].
The advert contains several grammatical and spelling errors, which undermine its credibility. For instance, the phrase “the authority do hereby advertise” uses the incorrect verb form “do” instead of “does”.
There are spelling mistakes, such as “bellow” instead of the correct word “below”, and “possess” misspelled as “posses”.
On 24 November 2024, the authority flagged the job ad as “FAKE”.
To identify potential job advert scams, read this Africa Check guide, or watch out for the following:
- Email domain: Legitimate companies use branded domains (e.g., @sha.go.ke). Be wary of ads using free email services like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook.
- Grammar and spelling: Professional job postings are typically free of errors. Typos, random capitalisation or unprofessional formatting can signal a scam.
- Vague descriptions: Scams often lack clear details about job roles, qualifications, or responsibilities. Authentic adverts are usually precise and detailed.
- Requests for sensitive information: Avoid sharing personal data, such as your national identification number, bank details, or private documents, during the early application stages.
- Application process: Genuine companies usually ask applicants to apply through their official website or trusted job portals. Ads requesting email-only applications are suspicious.
- Urgency or pressure: Scammers often use phrases like “urgent hiring” to push applicants to act without due diligence. Legitimate companies provide adequate timelines.
- Verify with official sources: Check the company’s official careers page or contact their human resource department to confirm if the job listing is genuine.
This fake job ad also appears here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
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