…in the world of TV recruitment it seems. In the shape of a mass of fake applicants for jobs in the industry. Reports are coming in (as they are fond of saying on the news) that a number of apparently well qualified applicants for TV jobs advertised on Facebook who add up to less than they appear when the individuals themselves turn up for interviews.

Here are some of those who have applied for jobs, and their claims. All have manufactured their references using proper mainstream companies, claiming previous positions at companies which (on inspection) turn out to be false:

Dami Osipitan <damiosipitan@gmail.com>

Dami claims to have worked at Lime Pictures, Sidney Street TV, Windfall Films, BBC Studios and Arena. Dami claims “creativity” as a talent – pretty accurate it seems as a lot of “creativity” has clearly gone into this CV…

Deborah Elugbadebo <delugbadebo36@gmail.com>

By her account, Deborah has had a distinguished career, which took her from Kingston University to the BBC, before landing at Windfall Films where she “Reviewed logistics for crews; booked hotels, trains and flights”. No evidence that she did any of this though…

Lydia Oyewole <lydiatoyeyinka@gmail.com>

Lydia has also been busy (according to Lydia at least), managing to simultaneously combine studying for a degree in Digital Media at London Met with being a Production Secretary at Studio Ramsey, Broadley Studios and Open Mike Productions. Really?

Afolabi Moronkeji <afomoro9@hotmail.co.uk>

Alofabi claims some top production companies on her CV. After a short stop at Avalon, she apparently dropped in at Lime Pictures before landing at Studio Ramsey. No evidence any of that is true though…

Nana Esi Sarfo <sarfo.nanaesi@gmail.com>

Nana has had an unbelievably active career too it seems. Alongside studying for a Psychology and Business degree at Northampton Uni, she has also found enough time in her busy life to work full time for ITV, Sidney Street TV, Wall to Wall and Lime Pictures. No rest for Nana it seems!

kelvin osei <kelvinjosei@hotmail.com>

Kelvin isn’t quite as active as Nana, but he hasn’t hung about either. According to his telling he finished his degree at Kent Uni (International Business 2:1) before taking a dizzying journey from Open Mike (maybe he knew Lydia who was apparently there too?) to Uplands TV to ITV to CTVC. In just two years – phew!

Ibby Baidoo <ibbybd0@yahoo.co.uk>

Ibby/Elizabeth is, by her account, a “hardworking, professional and reliable individual” and if she is to be believed, supplies plenty of evidence of the hardworking bit, having picked up jobs at Remarkable TV, ITV, Studio Ramsey, Twenty Twenty and Renegade – all while studying Politics and International Relations at the University of East London! That’s if Elizabeth is to be believed of course…

Emmanuel Akinnuoye <eman.akinnuoye@gmail.com

Emmanuel is no slouch either. No time for a degree for him, he’s been shuttling between companies for the last year, taking on no less than five (including Chocolate Films, Milkwood, Big Light Production, Another Film Company and Me and You! A very desirable worker, if Emmanuel is as good as he cracks up to be (big if…).

Sharon Osei-Agyeman <sharonosei@hotmail.co.uk>

In a strange quirk of fate, Sharon has also worked at Studio Ramsey (boy does that company get through its production secretaries!). And – hold on – also Broadley Studios. What a coincidence – mind you, no surprise that so many companies want Sharon as she is – according to her description at least – a “confident, well spoken individual”.

Wonu Owokoniran <wonuXO@outlook.com>

Wonu’s claims include working at five different companies in one year – and would you know, some remarkably familiar ones too. Did she meet up with some of her chums above when they worked at the same ones I wonder? Maybe not, unlikely she ever looked up from her desk, too busy being “effective and hardworking” to socialise.

osezele ilenbs <oilenbs@gmail.com>

And Osezele also apparently worked at Atomized, Shine and Windfall, in similar roles to all of the above, albeit with a bit of an unexplained gap between graduating in law from Bedford Uni and a whistlestop tour round Britain’s biggest TV companies

These applicants have apparently used the services of a company called “Helpers House” (helpershouseldn@gmail.com), to craft their applications, although it is not clear to what end they have done so. Is it to gain work, or to get in through the door for other purposes?

One thing is for certain – it would be very unwise for any employer to let any of the above through their doors. Not least because they may very well, if you do hire them, walk away with the contents of your production office on the first day.

Recruiters beware!