Beware: The “dream job” in Russia might be a nightmare in disguise
Dream job in Russia? Nope - South African women are being lured into a dangerous scam
If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok lately, you may have come across glossy videos of South African influencers sipping champagne and talking about high-paying job opportunities for young women in Russia.
Sounds tempting, right? A free flight, accommodation, a “fresh start,” and even Russian language lessons.
However what looks like a glamorous international job offer could actually be a dangerous trap.
The hype started when influencer Cyan Boujee (Honour Zuma) shared a video promoting a so-called two-year “start programme” in Tatarstan, Russia, with many more prominent influencers posting videos promoting this "opportunity".
She described it as a golden ticket for women aged 18 - 22 to kick off their careers, learn skills, and live well abroad.
The video even showed the accommodation recruits would supposedly stay in.
@nobhadi123 I'm closing the comments so y'all can actually attend to these people coz at this point y'all are quiet @.PinkFur @Siyamthanda Anita @cyan.boujee @S.eemah_ #cyanboujee #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #alabugastart #southafrica #russia ♬ original sound - trustmeimweird_ree
The message was “Pack your bags, girl, your dream life is waiting for you in Russia.”
In reality, it’s not nearly as sparkly.
According to reports, some of the young women who have already taken the plunge found themselves in a far less glamorous situation.
Instead of cushy office jobs or professional training, they ended up working in weapons factories, specifically helping in drone production.
These are the same drones allegedly being used in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Others reportedly landed jobs as cleaners and caterers in the same facilities. Nothing close to the professional career-building that was promised.
The so-called opportunities were really just a pipeline to support Russia’s drone production programme.
Since these influencers have been flagged for posting these fake job opportunities, many of their TikTok accounts have been banned.
After we reported the influencers accounts under “human exploitation” for promoting the Start Program in Russia…
— Paballo Maseko❄️ (@Paballo_maseko_) August 27, 2025
TikTok banned their accounts 🤭 pic.twitter.com/Bv93sBKz3D
The Government is sounding the alarm
South Africa’s Department of International Relations is seriously worried about this trend.
Clayson Monyela, the country’s head of public diplomacy, issued a warning on X:
Please warn young people (girls in particular) not to fall for unverified foreign job offers....Some are being promoted by influencers on Tik Tok, Instagram & other SM platforms. Human trafficking syndicates are luring people into all sorts of illegal activities under slave-life…
— Clayson Monyela (@ClaysonMonyela) August 24, 2025
These “perfect” opportunities are designed to lure desperate job seekers (especially young women) into situations they can’t easily escape from.
Why are young South Africans vulnerable
With youth unemployment in South Africa sitting sky-high, a lot of young people are desperate for work.
When an influencer with 1.7 million followers shows off champagne flights and luxury apartments, it’s easy to buy into the fantasy.
The recruiters know this and they’re cashing in on that desperation.
What should you do?
If you (or someone you know) ever come across offers like these online, here are three quick rules:
- Do your homework: Google the company, check official government sites, and see if others have raised red flags.
- Talk to someone you trust: Parents, teachers, mentors, or even organisations that deal with labour rights.
- Trust your gut: If it sounds like a shortcut to success, chances are it’s not the real deal.
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