CoS Scam - Certificate of Sponsorship - How it Works

How the CoS Scam Works

• Selling Sponsorships: Agents charge thousands of pounds for a CoS, even though genuine employers are not legally allowed to sell sponsorships.
• Fake Paperwork: Victims are provided with forged documents, replicas of real companies, or made-up reference numbers.
• Phantom Employment: Some scammers provide a legitimate CoS but require you to return your "salary" to them, leaving you to work cash-in-hand illegally or pay the taxes yourself.

Verifying a Genuine CoS

• Check the Register: Ensure your prospective employer holds a valid sponsor license by searching the official UK Government Sponsor Licence Register.
• Never Pay for a CoS: A CoS is a digital document assigned directly through the Home Office Sponsor Management System (SMS); it is not something you "buy" or receive as a printed certificate.
• Verify Through SMS: Confirm the assignment by verifying the details through the UK Home Office's official portals rather than an email attachment from a third-party agent.

Reporting Fraud

If you suspect you have been a victim of a UK visa or sponsorship scam, you should immediately report the crime to Action Fraud, the official UK national fraud and cyber crime reporting center.