Not Surprised at all. Working for a global aerospace company. The company offered a $5000 referral fee when an employee recruited an applicant and the applicant was hired. Turns out it was a kind of trick.
A buddy of mine did it. He referred someone and they were actually hired. But, the company did not pay. Just like the article, it turns out that there were many bureaucratic levels, rules, and stipulations, before anyone actually gets the money. I left the company six months after and the guy still had not been paid. I do not know if he ever got the money. Did not want to ask him but I doubt it.
Glad I never bothered with it.