Jamaica’s Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr has issued an urgent public alert regarding sophisticated fraudulent schemes exploiting his identity and official ministry branding to deceive citizens. The minister revealed that scammers are utilizing fabricated social media content featuring his likeness, voice, and official logos to solicit payments under false pretenses of securing placements in overseas employment programs.
During a press engagement at the Jamaica Observer’s headquarters, Minister Charles Jr explicitly stated that criminal actors are operating multiple fraudulent pages across TikTok and Instagram platforms. These pages feature manipulated video content and counterfeit ministry communications to create the illusion of legitimacy, ultimately convincing victims to transfer funds for non-existent opportunities in agricultural work programs abroad.
This warning follows earlier alerts issued by the Ministry regarding unauthorized use of the minister’s image, particularly highlighting the TikTok account @ramondlewis0. However, the minister confirmed that new fraudulent pages continue to emerge weekly, indicating an escalating pattern of digital impersonation crimes.
The minister emphasized that legitimate government programs never require upfront payments for participation consideration. The only authorized fees are visa-related costs, and these are exclusively processed after applicants have successfully completed interviews and received formal acceptance. Minister Charles Jr disclosed that he has personally encountered victims of these scams, including one individual who reported losing $40,000 to the fraudulent scheme.
Official participation in overseas employment programs occurs exclusively through formal Government of Jamaica channels. Citizens are advised to verify all program information through official ministry communications and report suspicious social media accounts to authorities immediately.