The 'US Startup' That Drained My Account And Left Me Broke For Months

Two years ago I was stuck. The fintech job was paying me ₦280k a month, which sounds okay until you calculate transport, data, and the fact that my landlord wanted two years rent upfront. I was refreshing LinkedIn at 2am like it was a betting site.

Then this recruiter reached out. 'Senior Backend Engineer, fully remote, US client, $4,500 monthly.' I read that email maybe five times. I ran the numbers. At ₦1,360 to a dollar that was over ₦6 million a month. My whole life changed in my head before I even replied.

They sent an offer letter with a logo and everything. Then came the 'onboarding fee' for equipment and a work laptop, refundable on first salary. $800. I didn't even think. I sent it.

Three days later the email bounced. The website was gone. The recruiter's number stopped working.

Chei. I sat in my room in Yaba and just stared at the wall. That money was my savings and part of my rent.

Lesson? If a job asks you to pay first, it's not a job. It's a tax on your hope. I now verify every single recruiter like I'm checking a suspect's alibi. Painful but necessary.