With borders slowly reopening for Nigerians after months-long closures owing to the pandemic, visa applications submitted for various countries are at volumes higher than ever before. With this increased demand for visa application appointments, VFS Global has continually faced the issue of scammers posing as employees or associates of the organisation; or touts who promise an early appointment at an additional cost to embezzle job-seekers and innocent customers alike.
Touts could also reach out to customers via chat apps, offering simple assistance such as booking an appointment slot to apply for a visa at a VFS Global centre, for an additional fee. “VFS Global does not guarantee jobs or immigration prospects to any customer or prospective job seekers. Nor do we ask customers to pay for an appointment to submit a visa application, or to guarantee a visa other than those stipulated on the website and as approved by the respective Governments,” said Jiten Vyas, regional group chief operating officer, Australasia, China, Africa, Europe and CIS, VFS Global.
According to Vyas, VFS Global does not charge customers for appointments to submit applications. He posits that all appointments are available online on a first-come-first-served basis completely free of cost, and that no VFS Global employee or third party can assure an appointment based on payment.
Speaking further on the travel advisory, Vyas said misusing VFS Global’s trusted name in the visa space, such scammers also attempt to lure unsuspecting aspirants with the false promise of overseas settlement. He states that an all-too-frequent modus operandi involves a scammer using new software and other technology to clone VFS Global’s web page and mask their phone numbers, so it appears that the call has indeed come from an official VFS Global line.
Read also: Qatar Airways honours Dees Travels and Tour Ltd for sustaining business relationship
According to Vyas, the victim is then asked to verify the number on the official website, leading him/her to further believe the caller. He said the initial call is backed by fabricated job offer letters and official-looking documentation sent via email.
To show acceptance of the job offer or immigration opportunity, the email states that the individual will have to make an up-front payment and share personal information to take things forward.
Furthermore, individuals are urged never to publish their passport or visa application numbers via public domains on the internet or social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook, as scammers are constantly on the lookout for this. “We have extensive safeguards in place to protect our customer’s personal data. I also urge customers to be wary of such touts and miscreants and instead visit our website (www.vfsglobal.com) for the necessary visa application requirements and information,” Vyas said.
Here are some warning signs that indicate a scam: according to VFS Global, scammers usually request advance payments to personal bank accounts with the threat of visa application rejection or deportation. They seek personal information under the pretext of re-validating information in the application or emails about job offers or immigration are sent from fabricated email IDs, usually via commonly used personal email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo.co.in, etc.).
Similarly, pixelated and out of proportion VFS Global logos are used on fabricated documentation (such as job offer letters and contracts), while all communication stops with the scammer once payment has been made. To make both customers as well as the general public more aware of such fraudulent entities, VFS Global ensures adequate measures are in place to tackle fraud-like messages at multiple touchpoints, including prompt replies to email enquiries or complaints. Communicating measures to detect fraud on our social media platforms regularly; SMS and call centre voice messages, advertisements/posters.
