Fake Overseas Job Offers: How Indians Can Check Before Paying
A pre-departure checklist for Indians: verify the recruiting agent on eMigrate, check the visa and contract, know the legal fee cap and who to call.
Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team
Quick answer: To check whether an overseas job offer is genuine, confirm the recruiting agent appears under 'List of active RA' on emigrate.gov.in, make sure you will travel on an employment visa rather than a tourist visa, and get a contract signed by the employer, agent and you. MEA's advisory caps a registered agent's fee at Rs 30,000 plus 18% GST with a receipt, while illegal agents often demand Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
Key takeaways
- MEA tells overseas job seekers to verify recruiting agents under 'List of active RA' on emigrate.gov.in before paying anything.
- According to MEA's advisory, a registered recruiting agent may charge no more than Rs 30,000 plus 18% GST and must issue a receipt.
- MEA says a genuine overseas job means travelling on an employment or work visa with a contract signed by the employer, the agent and the worker.
- MEA's emigration page lists 17 ECR countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Malaysia.
- MEA's Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra helpline is toll-free 1800 11 3090 from India, with WhatsApp support at +91-7428321144.
How do you check if an overseas job offer is genuine?
Check three things before you pay anyone: that the recruiting agent is registered on the government's eMigrate portal, that you will travel on an employment visa (not a tourist or visit visa), and that you have a written contract signed by the foreign employer, the agent and you. If any one of these is missing, treat the offer as fake until proven otherwise.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spells this out in its advisory on fake overseas jobs and illegal recruitment. It tells job seekers to use only registered recruiting agents (RAs), verify them under "List of active RA" on emigrate.gov.in before paying, and expect a contract that states the job, salary and other terms (MEA advisory).
How do fake overseas job scams usually work?
They usually start on social media, ask for a large "processing" fee, and send you abroad on the wrong visa, if they send you at all. The MEA advisory says unregistered agents often charge Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, operate through Facebook, WhatsApp and text messages, and give little or no verifiable contact information (MEA advisory).
The advisory names several regions where such cases have been reported, including East European and Gulf countries, Central Asian countries, Israel, Canada, Myanmar and Lao PDR. It also warns that recruiting without registration breaks the Emigration Act, 1983 and that MEA treats such recruitment as human trafficking, a criminal offence (Careers360 report on the advisory).
A typical sequence looks like this:
- An ad or message promising a hotel, construction, driving, warehouse or IT job abroad with a high salary and free visa.
- A quick "interview" on a video call, often with no technical questions.
- A fee in instalments: registration, "visa processing", medical, ticket, "embassy charges".
- A visa that is not a work visa, usually a tourist or visit visa, with a promise that it will be "converted" after arrival.
- Arrival with no job, a different job, or a job in unsafe conditions, sometimes with the passport taken away.
Enforcement does happen. In June 2025, the Protector of Emigrants in Chandigarh and Chandigarh Police raided an unregistered immigration firm that allegedly used social media to promise hotel and construction jobs in Georgia, Jordan, Azerbaijan and Dubai; officials seized laptops, 17 mobile phones and fake job offer letters (Careers360). The most dangerous variant, fake IT jobs that end in forced work at cyber fraud compounds, is covered in our post on the Southeast Asia cyber scam centre job trap.
What is the pre-departure checklist for an overseas job?
Use this checklist, built from MEA's guidance, before you hand over your passport or any money.
| Check | What genuine looks like | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting agent | Listed under "List of active RA" on emigrate.gov.in, licence number shown in office and ads | Not on eMigrate, only a mobile number, "sub-agent" of a bigger agency |
| Agent's fee | Not more than Rs 30,000 plus 18% GST, with a receipt | Rs 2 to 5 lakh, cash or personal UPI, no receipt |
| Visa | Employment or work visa in your name | Tourist or visit visa, "will convert after arrival" |
| Contract | Signed by employer, agent and you; states job, salary, duration | Verbal promises, or a contract you see only at the airport |
| Employer | Full name, address and phone you can verify independently | "Our client company", no address |
| Costs abroad | Reputable employers usually cover airfare, accommodation and insurance | You pay for everything, including "deposit" to the employer |
| Insurance | Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana policy bought through the RA | No insurance, or "not needed" |
Sources for each row: the fee cap, contract, visa, employer-paid costs and insurance come from the MEA advisory. Under the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), the advisory lists cover of Rs 10 lakh for death or work-related injury plus medical expenses, at a one-time premium of Rs 275 for two years or Rs 375 for three years.
What does ECR or ECNR on your passport mean for an overseas job?
It decides whether you need emigration clearance from a Protector of Emigrants (POE) before you leave. Holders of ECR (Emigration Check Required) passports going for work to an ECR country need that clearance; ECNR holders do not (MEA).
MEA's emigration page lists 17 ECR countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, the UAE and Yemen. The same page says people with matriculation or higher education, among other categories, do not get an ECR endorsement. Confirm the current list on eMigrate before you travel, because it can change.
For the Gulf, MEA's older emigrant guide also advises keeping a contract in both English and Arabic and never signing blank papers or any agreement other than the one registered with the POE (MEA, Emigration and You).
How do you verify a recruiting agent and a foreign employer, step by step?
Verify the agent on eMigrate, then verify the employer independently, then match both against your documents.
- Get the agent's registration number from their office board or advertisement. MEA says registered agents must display it (MEA advisory).
- Search it on emigrate.gov.in under "List of active RA". Check the name and address match.
- Check the unregistered list. MEA told the Lok Sabha in December 2025 that it publishes a list of unregistered agents on eMigrate and refers illegal agents to state police (Lok Sabha answer).
- Ask to see the employer's demand letter and power of attorney given to the agent. MEA's emigration page tells job seekers to ask for both (MEA).
- Look up the employer yourself: official website, address on a map, a landline you find independently. Do not rely on numbers the agent gives you.
- If in doubt, ask the Indian mission in the destination country. MEA advises job seekers to verify employment through Indian missions abroad (Lok Sabha answer).
- Never deal with sub-agents. MEA's page says the Emigration Act does not permit them (MEA).
If the offer arrived through LinkedIn or email, our guides on verifying a recruiter on LinkedIn and how to check if an offer letter is fake add useful checks.
What do most guides on fake overseas job offers get wrong?
They focus on whether the foreign company is real and skip whether the Indian agent is legal. A real employer abroad does not make an unregistered agent in India lawful. Section 10 of the Emigration Act, 1983 says nobody can act as a recruiting agent without a valid registration certificate, as MEA reminded job seekers in Goa, where it identified 15 unregistered agencies as of December 2025 (The Goan).
The second gap: many guides say "never pay any fee". That is too blunt for overseas jobs. A registered agent may legally charge a service fee, capped at Rs 30,000 plus 18% GST, and must give a receipt (MEA advisory). The useful rule is not "pay nothing" but "pay only a registered agent, only within the cap, and only against a receipt".
This is general information, not legal advice.
Who can you contact if you suspect a fake overseas job offer?
Contact MEA's helpline before you pay, and the Indian mission if you are already abroad.
- Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (MEA): toll-free 1800 11 3090 from India, +91-11-2688-5021, WhatsApp +91-7428321144, email helpline@mea.gov.in (MEA advisory).
- Protector General of Emigrants: pge@mea.gov.in (MEA advisory).
- Your nearest Protector of Emigrants office for complaints about overcharging or cheating by agents (MEA). MEA's overseas employment page lists POE offices, the MADAD helpline and a consular grievance portal.
- Local police for cheating and forged documents. See how to report a job scam in India.
For every other scam type, start with the complete guide to job scams in India.
Related guides
- Job Scams in India: How to Spot, Verify and Report Them
- Railway Job Through an Agent or 'Setting': How the Scam Works
- 'Data Entry Job in Thailand': The Scam Compound Trap Explained
- How to Spot a Fake Government Job Notice or Website
FAQ
How do I check if an overseas recruiting agent is registered?
Ask for the agent's registration number, which MEA says must be displayed in their office and advertisements, then search it under 'List of active RA' on emigrate.gov.in and confirm the name and address match. MEA also publishes a list of unregistered agents on eMigrate. If the agent is missing from the active list, do not pay.
How much can an overseas recruitment agent legally charge in India?
According to MEA's advisory, a registered recruiting agent may charge a job seeker no more than Rs 30,000 plus 18% GST for its services and must give a receipt for any amount collected. Demands of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, cash payments or payments to personal accounts are signs of an illegal agent.
Can I go abroad on a tourist visa and convert it to a work visa later?
MEA says a valid overseas job offer means emigrating on an employment or work visa, not a tourist visa. Agents who promise to convert a visit visa after arrival are a common feature of fake offers, and workers who arrive this way can end up with no job, no legal status and little protection.
What should an overseas job contract contain?
MEA says the contract should be signed by the foreign employer, the recruiting agent and you, and should state the job, salary and other terms. MEA's emigrant guide also advises keeping the employer's full name and address, the contract duration and benefits in writing, and having Gulf contracts in both English and Arabic. Never sign blank papers.
Do I need emigration clearance for an overseas job?
Only if you hold an ECR passport and are going to work in an ECR country. MEA's emigration page lists 17 such countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Malaysia. People with matriculation or higher education generally do not get an ECR endorsement. Confirm the current rules on eMigrate before travelling.
Who do I call if I suspect a fake overseas job offer?
Call MEA's Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra on toll-free 1800 11 3090 from India or +91-11-2688-5021, message +91-7428321144 on WhatsApp, or email helpline@mea.gov.in. For complaints against agents, approach your nearest Protector of Emigrants office. If money has been taken or documents forged, also file a police complaint.
Final thoughts
A genuine overseas job survives every check: a registered agent, a work visa, a signed contract and a receipt for a capped fee. If you are weighing a job abroad against building your career in India first, a 1:1 session with an Asuraa mentor can help you think through the trade-offs.
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