Four Kerala nurses cheated by UK Malayalee acting as middleman for nursing recruitment agent in Kottayam

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON May 26: Four Kerala nurses have been victim of a nursing recruitment fraud by a Malayalee middleman from the UK who reportedly works for a NHS Trust in the UK. The fraud was brought to light to this website by a social activist from Kottayam. The social worker sought this website’s assistance to get back the money taken as advance from the nurses in Kerala.

The middleman reported to be involved in this fraud is a BP (not real name) who lives in Kingston upon Thames. This website was sent the picture of this Malayalee middleman from Kingston upon Thames which we haven’t decided to publish as we haven’t heard from him. We are trying to make contacts with BP.

According to the social worker, BP was introduced to a nurse in Kerala by a prominent personality in the UK. Although this prominent person has no role to play, it was him who referred this Keralite middleman who reportedly works in the NHS to the nurse in Kerala.

The middleman from UK travelled to Kochi in Kerala and met the nurse and was able to get details of three other nurses who would prefer to work for the NHS in the UK.

It is reported that this Malayalee middleman from Kerala has taken advance money from the nurses ranging between 1 and 2 lakhs rupees. However, the social worker says that first nurse got her money returned as she had more contacts in Kerala and therefore the UK middleman was not able to mess with her family.

The middleman from the UK was recommended by this prominent personality in the UK as he had experience of working with a Health Care agency previously. On checking about this agency on the Companies House it is now not in operation in the UK.

“BP is requested to make contacts with the three nurses and return the full money to them without delay, said the social worker from Kerala.

The social worker’s efforts have failed as BP has now blocked their calls.

Since the opening up of the nursing sector for international nurses, there has been a surge in recruitment agents springing up across the UK with branches and sub branches all over Kerala.

These agencies have individual feeders who do the grassroots work to bring in nurses and in turn they receive good remuneration as commission. However, this area is rife with exploitation now as many unscrupulous people are taking advantage of this scenario and carrying out recruitment in Kerala by taking advance money payment.

In this case the nurses never even asked for details of where they would be working as the ‘middleman’ was referred to them by a prominent known personality in the UK.

Although the first nurse got her money back the other three who do not have much clout or pidipadu (illicit influence) within the Kerala political and police circles have no other choice but to approach a social worker who in turn made contacts with this website to get the money back.

The three nurses want only the money back from BP from Kingston upon Thames who is a former employee of a health care agency which isn’t in operation at present. Failure to return the money will result in further actions in Kerala and UK, the social worker added.

One reason for the Kerala nurses falling victim to such fraudsters are as a result of some Youtubers who are advertising and propagating false news about immigration. Some go to the extent to say that migration to UK is open for all without any skills required.

It is always advisable for nurses abroad to check and verify about their prospective recruitment agent or individual and ask them questions on whose behalf they are recruiting and also carry out checks on the NHS Employers website to check if they are registered and also if they are listed as a recruitment agent that operate in accordance with the revised Code of Practice in the UK.

NHS organisations are urged to only use agencies which appear on this list, although inclusion on the list does not imply that they belong to a group that are either preferred suppliers or recommended by NHS Employers or the Department of Health and Social Care.

According to NHS these recruitment agencies operate in accordance with the Department of Health and Social Care revised Code of Practice (published 25 February 2021) for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals.

Click to See The List of Recruitment Agencies 

If they are not listed then check out if the firm or recruitment agency is listed on the Companies House so that you have information on who you are dealing with. Always check before giving away your money.

Are you a victim of such a fraud or do you know anyone who is carrying fraudulent recruitment within our community. Please do not hesitate, share it with the public so that wee can sift out such unscrupulous fraudsters. Please email editor@ukmalayalee.com