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Jobfished

Catrin Nye investigates the glamorous design company that tricked its own staff into believing it was real - through an online universe of fake profiles,and stolen work.

Catrin Nye investigates the glamorous company that faked its own existence. Investigative journalist Catrin Nye and her team expose a tangled web of lies, confronting the boss of a seemingly successful design agency to get to the truth of what really happened. The company was built on fakery and its office address wasn’t real. But its own staff had no idea. For months they slogged away, as unwitting victims of an elaborate online con, tricked into believing they had good jobs at a fast-growing company. Many of the bosses and colleagues they worked with over email and Zoom turned out to be fake profiles. Workers got into debt waiting for salaries that never arrived. Others were promised life-changing visas to the UK. But all of it was a lie, and it was only uncovered after curious staff did some digging. Who was behind the con? And what on earth were they trying to achieve?
Producers: Helen Clifton, Leo Sands and Divya Talwar
Editors: Ravin Sampat and Hugh Levinson
Sound: John Scott

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Mon 21 Feb 2022 11:00

Broadcast

  • Mon 21 Feb 2022 11:00