A fake care recruitment company that conned overseas workers out of more than £19,000 by promising UK jobs and visa sponsorship has been shut down following an Insolvency Service investigation.
Medrecruiter Limited, which was incorporated in December 2023 despite claiming on its website to have been trading since 2020, was wound up in the public interest by the High Court in London on 16th July. The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator.
Operating from a virtual office on Great Portland Street in central London, the company described itself as a temporary employment agency and claimed to have 5,890 carers on its books, working across 530 care homes and providing care to 9,200 residents.
However, investigators found the business had no physical office, no Home Office sponsorship licence and no evidence it had ever submitted a single visa application or successfully placed anyone into employment.
Twenty-three prospective workers from Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines came forward during the investigation after paying upfront fees for jobs that never materialised. Victims were charged consultation fees of up to £1,199, as well as additional costs for training, uniforms and application processing, with total known losses exceeding £19,000. Seven victims were later able to recover some of their money through their credit card providers.
The Insolvency Service found applicants were invited to interviews, offered care roles and asked to sign contracts before being instructed to pay the fees. When workers sought updates, Medrecruiter claimed their applications were ‘in the processing queue gradually getting to the top’ and blamed delays on ‘madness at the Home Office’. Investigators found no evidence that any visa applications had ever been submitted, while requests for refunds were refused.
The investigation also found Medrecruiter failed to file its statutory accounts and confirmation statement with Companies House. The company and its directors did not cooperate with the Insolvency Service’s investigation and failed to provide requested documents.
The case highlights the risks posed by rogue recruiters targeting overseas workers seeking opportunities in the UK’s care sector.
Colette Mooney, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: ‘Medrecruiter Limited deliberately targeted vulnerable people seeking legitimate employment opportunities in the UK. The company took money from people hoping to build a better life, knowing it could not deliver on its promises.
‘The company used delay tactics and excuses about Home Office backlogs when clients asked about the status of their applications. When they asked for refunds, they were not given them.
‘This case sends a clear message that we will take action against companies that exploit people in this way. I would urge anyone considering paying for visa sponsorship services to check that the company they are dealing with is on the approved register.’
Photo: geralt
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