Please be gentle, I’m looking for genuine advice.
I have a live-in helper. She is from the Philippines and is legally in the UK on a work visa that I paid for. She is here on her own volition, I have known her for years, she’s a bright and smart woman in her late thirties, not a naive/young girl. We do not exploit her, we comply with employment law.
Her visa is about to expire and due to the type of visa, it cannot be renewed. She always knew this was going to happen. The plan was for her to go back to the Philippines and get employment from there. I would pay for her flight back.
She has just told me that she wants to stay in the UK. A ‘friend’ has introduced her to a man who is willing to help. He is Italian and is a composer/stock trader😳 who is settled in the UK. He has offered that they go to Italy and apply for a partner visa for her. He would pay for it and show proof of income (needed for partner visa). She could move in with him, study, get married and they could have a couple of kids (!).
She has never even met him. They have only chatted online.
There are other things that bother me, such as the fact he has offered to move near our house so she can keep working here, and also casually mentioned how he could insert himself in our family life (something to do with my children’s hobby).
Obviously there are red flags all over this. I’m worried that she will end up trafficked for sex or slave labour, in Italy or the U.K., or in an abusive relationship or worse.
I have tried explaining to her that this seems very dangerous and a scam. I’ve tried asking why would a complete stranger do this - there’s no such thing as a free lunch, etc. I’ve asked her how much money she’s expected to pay that man. She said he is not asking for any money. She told him she doesn’t have any.
I’ve offered to buy her a flexible flight to the Philippines, so that at least she has a way out if she finds herself unsafe with that man.
She asked me to wait a week so she can make up her mind.
It makes me very sad that she is so desperate to stay here that she is even willing to consider this.
I have done a bit of research and found a charity that she can call for advice. What else can I do or say to her? How can I support her? I’ve already said she can always come to me for help if things don’t work out. I don’t want to call the police and risk putting her in trouble.
I was planning to give her enough money when she leaves that she would be fine until she finds employment again, and make her financially secure, even perhaps help with her retirement. Now I worry it is all going to go to that man and she will end up with nothing. 🙁