Common Types of Visa Scams
-
Fake agents / unregistered consultants — offer “guaranteed” visas for a fee.
-
Document fraud — falsified employment letters, education certificates, bank statements.
-
Job/offer scams — fake job offers used to obtain work visas.
-
Upfront fee & ghost service — high fees taken and service never delivered.
-
Impersonation / phishing — emails or messages pretending to be immigration departments.
-
Certificate mills — quick diplomas or language test results sold to applicants.
-
Marriage or relationship fraud — sham marriages arranged for immigration benefit.
How to verify an agent or service
-
Check registration with the relevant country’s regulated migration authority (e.g., MARA in Australia, OISC in UK, ICCRC in Canada).
​
-
Ask for the agent’s license/registration number and verify it yourself online.
​
-
Look for independent reviews (not just Google reviews on their site) and client testimonials with verifiable details.
​
-
Request a written engagement letter with scope of services, fees, timelines, refund policy, and cancellation terms.
​
-
Never sign blank forms — review everything before you sign.
​​
-
If in doubt, get a second opinion from a registered practitioner or official immigration website.

