NEW DELHI: India has issued an advisory urging people to be cautious when applying for jobs through unregistered recruitment agents, as unsuspecting individuals often fall victim to scams. “It has been noticed that there is a significant increase in the number of overseas job seekers being duped by unregistered recruitment agents through fake job offers and overcharging ranging from Rs 2-5 lakh. These unregistered/illegal agents operate without obtaining a license from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which is mandatory for any recruitment for work abroad,” states an advisory by MEA on Thursday.
Reports indicate that many illegal agents use platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, text messages, and other mediums. These agencies provide minimal or no details about their whereabouts and contacts, relying solely on WhatsApp for communication, making it challenging to verify the caller’s location, identity, and the legitimacy of the job offer.
“Such agents also entice workers to accept jobs in difficult and life-threatening conditions. Instances of such recruitment have been reported for positions in various East European countries, certain Gulf countries, Central Asian countries, Israel, Canada, Myanmar, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic,” added the MEA.
Job-seekers are advised to consider that a valid job offer should include an employment contract duly signed by the foreign employer, recruitment agent, and the emigrant worker. “The employment contract must outline the terms and conditions of the job, including salary and other benefits. Valid job offers should enable the worker to emigrate based on an employment or work visa, excluding tourist visas,” it said. It said tourist visas should only be used for tourism purposes. Job-seekers should also be aware that reputable foreign employers typically cover the cost of airfare, boarding, lodging and insurance.