Indian embassy in UAE cautions against fake job ads and visa fraud

The Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian consulate in Dubai have issued a fresh advisory warning citizens about fraudulent job offers and visa scams, particularly those advertised through social media.

In the advisory, the missions said unauthorised agencies are circulating fake job advertisements for positions in the UAE and European countries. These scams target applicants by promising employment and residency in exchange for money.

The Indian embassy and consulate said they have received multiple complaints about agencies offering third-country job placements and residency visa services. A representative of the consulate told The National that a large number of complaints have come from southern Indian states, either directly from individuals or through welfare associations.

“The job offers are mostly for European countries,” the representative said. “Social media is the most common source of such advertisements and in most cases the individuals have transferred their money from India.”

Advice for job seekers

The missions advised applicants not to rely solely on social media adverts or private visa-processing promises. Instead, they should check visa requirements, application procedures and authorised channels directly with the embassy or consulate of the country they intend to visit.

Prospective travellers were also urged to consult official government websites for up‑to‑date immigration information before making any payments or sharing personal documents. They were warned to be cautious of anyone who guarantees overseas jobs or residency permits in return for payment.

The latest advisory follows a warning issued in August by the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi about unauthorised individuals offering consular services.

Earlier warnings indicated that scammers target Indian citizens, especially blue‑collar workers, by pretending to be agents who can arrange emergency certificates, exit permits, Emirates ID, visa regularisation and employment.

In some cases, fraudsters obtain victims’ facial images and fingerprint scans under false pretences. This biometric data may then be misused to carry out financial transactions, open bank accounts, or apply for loans and credit cards in the victims’ names without their knowledge or consent, the advisory stated.

Victims could consequently face financial liabilities and potential legal consequences, including fines, travel bans or imprisonment.

The missions called on Indian citizens to verify the credentials of anyone offering consular or immigration‑related services before sharing biometric data or other sensitive personal information.

Passport‑related fraud

India’s top crime‑investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also warned citizens on Friday about passport‑related fraud involving individuals posing as agents or police officials.

The CBI said fraudsters may promise faster processing, guaranteed approval or immediate appointments while demanding money and personal information. Some also create lookalike websites of official passport portals to collect application fees, banking details and identity documents.

Other scams involve fake police verification calls in which victims are threatened with delays, passport cancellation or legal action unless they pay a fine or disclose personal information. Scammers may also offer bogus passport updates, renewals and delivery services to extract money and sensitive data.

The CBI reiterated that no agent can guarantee passport approval or promise special access to urgent processing. It provided the following tips to avoid falling victim to recruitment, visa and passport scams:

• Do not pay anyone who promises guaranteed passport approval, urgent processing, or a confirmed overseas job
• Do not click on suspicious links or make payments through unverified websites
• Never share bank PINs, passwords or other confidential banking information
• Do not respond to calls threatening passport cancellation, legal action, or police intervention unless you pay a fine
• Avoid sharing copies of passports, identity documents or biometric information with unknown individuals or unauthorised agencies