How to get sponsorship by employers in the UK?

Got employment in London, UK.. does this sound real or a scam?

• He found my modeling portfolio off a model site and this is the most recent email he sent us. ______________________________________… The details have been sent to the relevant department and has also been forwarded to the immigration database here in the UK so they can cross reference it with your entry documents when you enter London. The model will need a work permit to work in the UK legally and we as your employers will be filing for you under UK laws. The normal service for the work permit takes 8 weeks and cost around £350 but that service takes 8 weeks and might require you undergoing an interview and you might still be denied so we use the expedited process which will get processed in 5 business,without interview and with a 100% guarantee that you'll get it. The expedited service cost £675,you'll be reimbursed this fee when you arrive in London UK and you could request for half of your pay 24 hours after you pay this fee since the UK law states that Any Intended employee(foreign or domestic) whose work permit process has been initiated by the sponsoring company expeditiously can request for half of his/her pay before actually taking up the position Here is a link from the home office confirming you need a work permit and that your employers must file for you: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf13workpermitholders#Q4 Do get back to me on how you wish to proceed. Thanks!

• Answer:

  This is definitely a scam. If you are sponsored by a company, THEY have to pay all visa fees, not you. They are the ones who need to apply to the Home Office for a Certificate of Sponsorship and have to cover all fees. Anyone asking you to pay upfront for any job in the UK is a scam. Also, there is no such thing as a 100% guarantee you will be granted a visa so anyone promising this is definitely scamming you. And you ALWAYS need to go to the British embassy/consulate in your country in person before you get a visa no matter what they try to tell you. Nigerian modeling scams are all over the internet. Basically if you are asked to pay, you are being scammed. http://www.newmodels.com/Nigeria.html Which agency is this for? EDIT - there is NO way you could do a shoot for Brand New You as that magazine went out of business in February 2009 when their publisher Merrick Media closed http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Crashed-magazine-firm-boss-hits-critics/article-692372-detail/article.html These scammers must have been running the same scam for a long time if they don't even know the magazine went out of business 11 months ago. Also Brand New You was not based in London, it was based in Bath