Desperation meets deception

For millions of young South Africans, the dream of leaving home to find a better life abroad feels like the only way forward. With unemployment soaring, glossy adverts on TikTok and Instagram promising “lucrative jobs in Russia” look like golden tickets. Instead, they’ve become traps and young women are paying the price.

The latest controversy centres on the so-called Alabuga Start programme, promoted online by influencers, including DJ and social media star Cyan Boujee, who recently shared footage of her paid trip to Russia. While her posts showed sleek facilities and opportunity, reports from human rights watchdogs paint a darker reality: African women being recruited into dangerous factory work, including drone assembly for the war in Ukraine.

“Scams thrive on desperation”

Women’s rights groups say this isn’t just a scam, it’s exploitation in its rawest form. Ilitha Labanthu, an anti-gender-based violence organisation, has condemned the Russian job campaigns as preying on the vulnerabilities of young women.

“These fraudulent schemes thrive because scammers know how desperate women are in South Africa,” says spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali. “They promise financial stability and glamorous lifestyles but often lead to trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.”

South Africa’s official youth unemployment rate stands at 46.1%, and when discouraged job seekers are included, the figure balloons to 62.1%. Add to that the 8.9 million young people classified as NEET (not in employment, education, or training), and it’s clear why false promises of overseas jobs feel irresistible.

The influencer factor

What makes this wave of scams particularly potent is the use of influencers. Scammers understand the cultural weight of social media in South Africa, where influencers are seen as relatable role models.

By showcasing trips, slick campaigns, and promises of easy money, influencers become unwitting (and sometimes willing) promoters of exploitation. “It’s devastating because the very people young women trust are being used to deceive them,” says Monakali.

A broader trafficking crisis

The South African Police Service (SAPS) classifies trafficking in persons as a global crime that takes many forms:

• Sex trafficking in prostitution, pornography, or forced marriages.

• Labour exploitation, from sweatshops to domestic servitude.

• Maternity and illegal adoption trafficking, where children are commodified.

• Organ trafficking, the forced removal and illegal sale of body parts.

• Forced begging and criminal activity under control of syndicates.

Victims often remain trapped not just by physical barriers but also psychological ones: threats, blackmail, confiscated documents, and even shame.

Warning signs of trafficking

Experts warn South Africans to look out for red flags:

• People appearing malnourished or injured.

• Fearful behaviour and scripted responses.

• Lack of ID or personal possessions.

• Being controlled by someone who won’t let them speak for themselves.

• Security measures that prevent free movement.

What’s really at stake

This issue goes beyond scams; it’s a mirror reflecting South Africa’s socio-economic crisis. With limited opportunities at home, young women are left exposed to traffickers who package exploitation as opportunity.

Civil society groups are calling for urgent government and private sector intervention, not just to crack down on these schemes, but to create real, safe jobs for South Africa’s youth.

Until then, the message is clear: if a job ad on Instagram promises glamour, quick money, and international travel, it’s not an opportunity, it’s almost certainly a trap.

Russian job scams targeting South African women are not random crimes, they’re symptoms of a deeper crisis of unemployment, inequality, and desperation. Without stronger protections and real local opportunities, young women will remain dangerously vulnerable.