About two weeks ago, various posts started making the rounds that an African Edtech startup, Learnania, was hiring.

After thorough examination, I have come up with 10 reasons why Learnania is more likely to be a fraudulent scheme.

1. Virtually Everyone Who Applied Got The Job.

After interacting with several people on LinkedIn and Nairaland, I realized that, save a handful of people, everyone got a message that they had been accepted for the position they applied for.

I have seen close to thirty people who got an email that they had been chosen for the content creator position, and this is within Nigeria alone. That leaves one wondering how many content creators an Edtech startup will be needing.


2. A Previous Report Of Scam

While researching thoroughly, I found an article that dates back to June 2023, this was before Learnania sent out their employment mail.

The article details the step-by-step process of how Learnania scams people, and how they have been doing it for long.

Lo and behold, the exact steps detailed in the article - from the message to the onboarding page - reappared on July 3 when Learnania claimed to send out employment emails to people.

Here is a link to to the article that detailed their scam process even before the sent out the recent employment emails yesterday.

https://topinfo.ng/is-learnania-africa-legit-or-scam/


3. Directing "Employees" To a Website To Pay 25k (Naira)

I learnt that in a supposed onboarding page for their new "employees", Learnania made it clear the employees had to submit a police clearance certificate.

So how's that fraudulent?

They tactfully gave people the choice to either go to their local police stations to obtain the documents and submit within 2 weeks (Note this) or... they can use a website where they pay 25k and the website processes their police clearance documents for them and delivers it to them in their apartment.

Giving the employees an option made the legitimacy more believable, but it is, in fact, proof of their ingenuinty at scamming.

How?

The website claims to obtain the certificate for 25k, while it is often gotten for around 40k at the police station. The site also promises to deliver within 7 days (which will meet up with the deadline) but if you want it at the police station within that short period, you are required to pay another sum of money.

Of course, they know everyone would resort to paying 25k without even leaving their houses.

Such an ingenious way to scam.

4. The 25K Website

Now to some interesting facts about Catios.com, the website Learnania directed people to to obtain their Police clearance certificate.

A. Catios claims to be a company that helps with CAC registration and police clearance certificates, but after a check on the CAC website, I realized Catios Ventures only got registered by the CAC on June 2, 2023, just about a month ago.

A company that just registered itself one month ago, and is not known by a single person Nigeria a priori, how does it become so widely known that it is the first recommendation of a pan-African edtech startup?

B. The company address shows it to be situated at 38, Aminu Kano crescent, Wuse, Abuja. But a check on Google map, as well as testimonies from those in the area showed that the address is that of a plaza, DCL plaza, and it has nothing to do with Certifos.

C. The company has a system that requests for money even before requesting for your name, or for any necessary documents to process your clearance certificate.

D. The company claims to help get the police clearance certificate for 25k, at least 15k less than you would obtain it at a police station, and deliever for free.
Something seems fishy - even meaty.

5. Their Social Media Presence Dissapeared

Before July 3, 2023, Learnania had several posts available on their social media handles, dating back to as far as two months ago. However, on the eve of their announcement of onbaording new employees, all their posts and supposed workers dissapeared. (Note that they claimed this was due to a phishing attack on their accounts)

Also, their Linkedn profile, as at the time of writing this, shows four employees. Three of them have private profiles, so neither their names nor positions could be verified. The only one who did not have a private profile, only added Learnania on July 3, 2023. The same day they sent out their fraudulent message.

6. Their Required Qualifications

The company's required qualifications are extremely low for African standards. We are known for placing too much value on educational certificates, so lowering that barrier so much seemed suspicious, even if it wasn't strong enough a nail to crucify them with, it was still something to hold on to, perharps if you find a weaker bone.

7. No Way Of Contacting Them

Sit for a second and think. If someone pays 25k to the supposed website, how do I contact them if they go incommunicado?

There is no way! We do not know their CEO or any of their employees, their office can not be verified, their social media accounts hsve been supposedly hacked.

8. No Clear Definition Of Their Services

Another cause for suspicion is that the "company" does not seem so sure about what services they are offering - and well, since a lot of us are that way with our skills too, I guess that's forgivable?

No, not for a company that claims it wants to rewrite African history on one page, then later claims it wants to connect tutors to students in a second page, and then claims to have created an AI chatbot to discuss any topics on another page.

If you are not yet convinced that even if they are legitimate, they are confused, then hear this: on their onbaording page, they claim that several companies are already scheduling to outsource their customer support, staff training and content creation needs to Learnania. (Are you kidding me?)

How did Learnania suddenly become a freelance website wherr companies outsource customer support and content creation needs?

What exactly are you doing? Are you a freelance website that outsources work like AmpiFire, or a tutor-student website like LiveXP, or an AI company like OpenAI?  Or... a team of lowlife scammers?

9. None Of Their Services Is Up Yet.

Another red flag is that none of the supposed services advertised on their website is up and running yet.

If you try to access any of the services, they simply ssk for your email address and tell you to join the waitlist. Dubiously, their waitlist does not seem to have increasd since over 2 months.


10. Deception

They deceived a lot of gullible job seekers by mixing some fairly believable information with a lot of hoax.

For example, they didn't compel the "employees" to pay for the Police clearnace report, instead they made it a lot cheaper so you'd be forced to pay on that site.

2. They offered two website options for the payment, so it would sound more believable. But they ensured the second website was not working.

3. They kept repeating that they do not ask for any form of payment to employ people.
This is simply to deceive gullible job seekers.

Summary: I have written this to call the attention of desperate job seekers not ro fall for this scam, and to take their time to research properly.

And also, to call the attention of necessary authorities to this scheme so that they would be called to order. Apparently, they have been existing for long and scamming some of the most vulnerable sets of people around the country - job seekers.


Abdurrahman Olanrewaju Adedokun
July 4, 2023

Noted. But they didn't force you to get PCC in their website

thanks for your concern, its a call for people to be more careful

XTRIMIOUS:
Noted. But they didn't force you to get PCC in their website

Doesn't change the FACT that its a SCAM...forced or not.

Front-page asap.

TUANKU:

Doesn't change the FACT that its a SCAM...forced or not.

He may be part of them.

You said the blog post is many years ago, you are a liar it was published today on 4th July 2023. And the screenshot on the website was taken from a nairaland user that posted his outcome yesterday. Learnania is new so you cannot say much about it

Check the date of the article published

XTRIMIOUS:
You said the blog post is many years ago, you are a liar it was published today on 4th July 2023. And the screenshot on the website was taken from a nairaland user that posted his outcome yesterday. Learnania is new so you cannot say much about it

I said the article dates back to June 2023, in your calendar, that is many years ago, right?

Secondly, I hope you have seen the other screenshot attached from Google detailing when the post was originally made. (June 23, 2023)

As a matter of fact, your defence for them seems suspicious.

I've been seeing this Learnania on most job groups even legitimate ones.

The thing is any job where the supposed employer asks for payment before job is a scam. Dem no dey talk am. When will you guys learn?

I know you are desperate for a job so you can earn some money. Because let's be real, your ultimate aim for seeking for a job is to have some money in your pocket. The last thing you want is to lose money when you are in dire need of it.

Take a deep breath guys and put on your thinking caps on this labour market streets. And use your intuition a lot. We have scavengers with seared consciences ready to rip you of that little savings you are managing pending when you get a job.

And also pray and wait on God's favour. Don't let desperation turn you to a beggar.


Meanwhile, here is a site where I post genuine job updates. https:///184037139835240/

XTRIMIOUS:
Noted. But they didn't force you to get PCC in their website

Are you working with/for them?

With all I have read, I don't need any further explanation to place them on a "red flag" and "suspect" list.

I ran a background check on this website on scamadviser.com
The website is said to be legit because its new, there has not been reports of scam.
However, you need to be wary of this website because ScamAdvicer noted that the website registration is shaddy. Do with this information, what you can, you can also run a background check of the link itself.
2nd image is for learnalia . live

Lilzmalcolm:
About two weeks ago, various posts
And also, to call the attention of necessary authorities to this scheme so that they would be called to order. Apparently, they have been existing for long and scamming some of the most vulnerable sets of people around the country - job seekers.


Abdurrahman Olanrewaju Adedokun
July 4, 2023

There must not be any payment before Job. A job is meant to pay you, not to take from you

Leggodeals:
I've been seeing this Learnania on most job groups even legitimate ones.

The thing is any job where the supposed employer asks for payment before job is a scam. Dem no dey talk am. When will you guys learn?

I know you are desperate for a job so you can earn some money. Because let's be real, your ultimate aim for seeking for a job is to have some money in your pocket. The last thing you want is to lose money when you are in dire need of it.

Take a deep breath guys and put on your thinking caps on this labour market streets. And use your intuition a lot. We have scavengers with seared consciences ready to rip you of that little savings you are managing pending when you get a job.

And also pray and wait on God's favour. Don't let desperation turn you to a beggar.


Meanwhile, here is a site where I post genuine job updates. https:///184037139835240/

Following.. Maybe we will finally learnania something

Learnania koh, prince of persia ni

If i get 25k I no go find work that month. I’d just pay myself salary.

Thanks for the timely and helpful info

I was sent that offer letter as well. I have done my analysis, they are scammers. They have taken down the pictures of the CEO,and other key staff from the website. Have you seen a website without the pictures of the CEO and staff? Why is the PCC cheaper on their links ? Is the police charging them less or what ? They own the site certifos that is charging 25k, because all the information on scam advisers matches their website. A start up company cannot be recruiting in 3 countries at once. They need to start off gradually. The pay of $700 - $900 is unrealistic. Pls be guided don't waste your money. I already regretted wasting my time with that useless test.

Scamming jobseekers is utterly vile.

MMempire:

He may be part of them.

He definitely is!

Checking their payment website for the PCC this morning,they said they got a message from learnania to refund all those that have paid into their account (don't know if they actually did though and they have even increase the payment to 50k slf

please note that as of today 5th of july, 2023. all persons that paid to that website recent within 2-3days learnania , has been told to apply for refund, which is on the website.

MMempire:

He may be part of them.

True.

aminusodiq:
There must not be any payment before Job. A job is meant to pay you, not to take from you

.

eclipse0907:
please note that as of today 5th of july, 2023. all persons that paid to that website recent within 2-3days learnania , has been told to apply for refund, which is on the website.

Apply for refund no mean say them go refund o. They may have done that to try to clear their name, as if they know nothing about that organization. Now, they want those not smart enough to think that they know nothing about the scam.

I think you guys should recheck the messages that was sent to your mailboxes.

XTRIMIOUS:
You said the blog post is many years ago, you are a liar it was published today on 4th July 2023. And the screenshot on the website was taken from a nairaland user that posted his outcome yesterday. Learnania is new so you cannot say much about it

Are you a part of the racket? Or you're just doing Pro Bono?

Lightened:
I think you guys should recheck the messages that was sent to your mailboxes.

I have not receive any message I just checked my inbox. So what is the latest

The latest news is that the company has removed the "police clearance requirement" from the message that was sent earlier. The only docs you need now is just your valid ID card and degree certificate.

XTRIMIOUS:

I have not receive any message I just checked my inbox. So what is the latest

Lightened:
The latest news is that the company has removed the "police clearance requirement" from the message that was sent earlier. The only docs you need now is just your valid ID card and degree certificate.

I noticed same in my email. I applied for the post of customer representative. Lmao. I must see the end of this learnania-.