KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) says it is alerting the public to the unauthorised and fraudulent use of the videos of Minister Pearnel Charles Jr by the TikTok account using the handle @mr.agent.clarke .

The ministry said the TikTok page falsely states that they are authorised to provide overseas employment opportunities by using repurposed videos from social media pages of the minister and the MLSS, to deceive and mislead the public.

The ministry indicated it has received reports that this fraudulent actor is circulating deceptive advertisements preying on Jamaicans who are seeking legitimate employment opportunities abroad describing it as ‘not only unethical but illegal’

The ministry advises that:

“This entity is NOT LISTED among the ministry’s licensed overseas employment agencies.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is the sole authority responsible for recruiting farmworkers under the Overseas Farm Worker Programmes in Canada.

Entities licensed to provide overseas employment opportunities are published monthly on the ministry’s official website and social media pages.”

“Members of the public are strongly advised to exercise extreme caution when engaging with this or similar accounts. We urge you to always verify the legitimacy of any overseas employment agency by checking the official list of licensed agencies published by the ministry’s website; or contacting the ministry directly for confirmation,” the MLSS said.