Masresha Alebel, 37, hoped to improve his family's circumstances by seeking employment in Romania. He encountered a company that presented an opportunity he found appealing.

The initial connection occurred through a social media advertisement that outlined a credit system for travel and the potential for a better life. Masresha then visited their office at Ambassador Mall, Arat Kilo, where he received information about a job opportunity. The company representatives detailed a plan where, after an initial payment of 56,000 Br, he could secure a job with a monthly salary of 1,200 euros, with a net income of 800 euros after deductions.

According to Masresha, the company representative also mentioned the possibility of increasing his earnings to 1,300 euros net through overtime. The offer included provisions for food, clothing, and housing, and a claim that the debt could be cleared within six months.

The "luxurious" appearance of Aim Ultra Educational Consultancy made a positive impression on Masresha. He was informed that their applications were in the final stages, as the company provided details about the job location and weather, and even took their clothing measurements.

Six months later, Masresha and the other applicants on the Telegram group, claim that the company demanded an additional 57,000 Br for a plane ticket. After six months, the company requested an additional 57,000 Br for a plane ticket. As the intended departure date approached, further costs were communicated, including 6,000 Br for a visa application fee, 4,000 Br for travel insurance, and a request for a police clearance certificate.

Eight months had now passed.

The situation became more complicated when the company requested an additional 257,000 Br. Those who were unable to pay faced a two-month delay or were offered an alternative to travel to Russia.

Masresha borrowed money from a friend’s cancer treatment fund, intending to repay it quickly.

“We collected the money in different ways to help our friend,” he told Fortune.

Then, the company moved to neighbourhoods around Gurd Shola, then Egziabher Ab Church. Masresha said 24 applicants had already paid the extra 257,000 Br before the relocation. Then another 116,000 Br a person was asked, citing liquidity issues. In an effort to pursue the opportunity abroad, Masresha sold the machinery from his small furniture business for 200,000 Br, half the price value. He paid his three permanent workers three months’ severance and gave the remaining funds to the agency.

“The rest is history,” he said. “Some have tried to press charges but their hands are long.”

Masresha and the 597 people in the same Telegram group are not the only ones. Many others experienced similar situations.

Roman Abera borrowed 500,000 Br from a loan shark to secure a work visa through Ruby Consulting, a company allegedly associated with Aim Ultra, agreeing to pay 200,000 Br in interest. After a prolonged effort, she obtained cheques from the company’s CEO, which were later found to be invalid.

An influx of adults seeking better opportunities were drawn in by so-called overseas employment companies enticing promises, only to face escalating costs, disappearing companies, and devastating financial and personal losses.

According to a former employee of Aim Ultra, the company had over 30 employees and reportedly registered up to five new clients daily.

The former sales supervisor claims that the company laid off several employees in October. She said that customers were not receiving the services that were described to them.

“Sales and followup team have different locations,” she said. “We didn’t know what was happening until people began complaining.”

She claims employees were dismissed abruptly, with three months’ salary and commissions owed, totaling 80,000 Br a person.

“It’s hard to file a complaint when others have lost five or six times what I’m owed,” she said.

Now unemployed, she relies on her family for support and has incurred debt. She mentioned that some former employees received compensation after requesting payment, but she has not received her due.

Officials observe that the lax regulatory framework and enforcement difficulties contribute to the persistence of such fraudulent schemes, leaving many vulnerable and without recourse.

The overseas employment sector faces many problems, including the requirement for an occupational competence certificate.

Any worker seeking employment abroad must obtain this certificate from a designated competence assessment centre, covering the costs themselves.

Seid Ahmed, public relations head and board member at the Ethiopian Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (EOEAF), said that even after the training is over, applicants do not get their digital certificate which allows them to get a job abroad.

This has created opportunities for brokers, increasing expenses and driving many into illegal migration or fraudulent agencies.

Currently, 400,000 trained workers are waiting for their certificates, according to data from the Federation. As a result, the number of people sent abroad for work has dropped by half, from 40,000 a month to 22,000–25,000.

Seid argues that the sector provides foreign exchange earnings comparable to exports. The government collects 700 to 800 dollars a worker through various fees and processing charges. Although 1,200 licensed agencies send domestic helpers, only 20 are authorised to send professional workers.

He underlined the issue of agencies operating without proper licenses, sometimes using the Ministry of Labour & Skills (MoLS) logo.

The Federation, representing 600 agencies, focuses on sending semi-professionally trained workers abroad.

He referenced the overseas employment (amendment) proclamation, which states that citizens should only pay for medical and passport expenses. He also clarified that agencies under the Federation do not send professionals to Europe, Asia, or the U.S.