Foreign Job Scam Alert: 7 Signs Your Agent Is Fake Before You Pay
Weekly Immigration Scam and Fraud Alert
Key takeaways
- The SLBFE filed 791 cases over foreign employment scams in 2025 and recovered more than 374 million rupees for victims.
- Many official job schemes, such as Korea, Israel and Japan programmes, run only through the SLBFE.
- Sri Lankans have been trafficked into cybercrime centres in Myanmar after fake job offers.
- Always check that an agency is licensed by the SLBFE before you pay.
A friend shares a post: factory jobs in Europe, salary in euros, visa in one month, only a small advance needed. The agent replies quickly on WhatsApp, sends photos of happy workers, and asks for a deposit to hold your place.
Stop before you pay. Foreign job fraud is one of the biggest risks for Sri Lankan job seekers. The SLBFE said 791 cases were filed over foreign employment scams in 2025, and it recovered more than 374 million rupees for victims. Some Sri Lankans have been trafficked into cybercrime centres in Myanmar after accepting fake job offers in Southeast Asia.
Here are 7 signs your agent may be fake, and how to protect yourself.
Short on time? Here is the quick answer.
| Your question | The short answer |
|---|---|
| How many scam cases in 2025? | 791 cases filed, per the SLBFE. |
| Money recovered for victims? | More than 374 million rupees in 2025. |
| Which jobs run only through the SLBFE? | Korea EPS, Israel and many Japan SSW programmes. |
| How do I check an agency? | Confirm its licence with the SLBFE. |
| Biggest warning sign? | Large payments before any real job offer. |
Why do so many people still fall for scams? Because scammers target real hopes: supporting family, paying off loans, building a house. They copy logos, use the names of real programmes, and create pressure with deadlines. Knowing their tricks is the best protection.
Signs 1 to 3: Too Good to Be True
Sign 1: A guaranteed job and visa. No agent can guarantee a visa. Only the embassy decides. A guarantee usually means fake documents or no job at all.
Sign 2: A private agent selling a government programme. Korean E-9 jobs, Israel jobs and many Japan SSW programmes are run through the SLBFE. Anyone selling these privately is lying.
Sign 3: Unrealistic salaries with no interview. Real employers interview you and check your skills. Huge salaries for simple jobs, with no interview, are a classic trap.
Signs 4 to 5: Money and Licence
Sign 4: Big advance payments to personal accounts. Payments to an individual's bank account, mobile wallet or cash with no receipt leave you with no protection.
Sign 5: No SLBFE licence. Licensed foreign employment agencies must be registered with the SLBFE. An agent who cannot show a valid licence number, or whose licence you cannot confirm, should be avoided.
Signs 6 to 7: Wrong Visa, Wrong Route
Sign 6: Travelling on a tourist visa for a job. If the agent says go on a visit visa and the job will be arranged later, you risk illegal work, arrest, deportation and worse. This is how many victims of cybercrime centres were trapped.
Sign 7: Strange routes and secrecy. Travel through several countries, being told not to inform the SLBFE, or being asked to hide the real purpose from immigration are serious warnings.
| Real recruitment | Fake recruitment |
|---|---|
| SLBFE licensed agency or official SLBFE programme | Unlicensed person on social media |
| Named employer you can verify | No employer details |
| Interview and skills checks | Instant selection |
| Work visa for the right job | Tourist visa and a promise |
| Official receipts | Cash or personal accounts |
| SLBFE registration before departure | Told to skip registration |
Cybercrime centre traps deserve special attention. In 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported rescuing groups of Sri Lankans who had been trafficked and forced to work in cybercrime centres in Myawaddy, Myanmar. Victims often travel on tourist visas expecting IT or office jobs in Southeast Asia, and end up held against their will.
Common Scams Targeting Sri Lankans
| Scam | How it works | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Fake Europe factory jobs | Deposit for a work permit that never comes | No named employer |
| Fake government programme places | Agent sells Korea or Israel jobs | These run through the SLBFE |
| Cybercrime centre traps | Fake IT or call centre job in Southeast Asia | Tourist visa and unusual route |
| Fake Italy work clearance | Payment for a promised nulla osta | Employer must apply, not you |
| Social media job ads | Copied logos and urgent deadlines | WhatsApp only contact |
This table shows how genuine programmes actually recruit.
| Destination or programme | How official recruitment works |
|---|---|
| Korea E-9 | SLBFE and Korea's Employment Permit System |
| Israel | SLBFE and Israel's Population and Immigration Authority |
| Japan SSW | Tests, SLBFE programmes and Japanese employers |
| Italy Decreto Flussi | Italian employer applies for your work clearance |
| Other countries | SLBFE licensed agencies and genuine employers |
How to Protect Yourself
- Check the agency's licence with the SLBFE before you share documents or pay.
- Confirm government programmes directly on the SLBFE website or at its offices.
- Verify the employer independently through its official website or embassy information.
- Never travel on a tourist visa for a promised job.
- Register with the SLBFE before departure so you have insurance and support.
- Keep copies of every receipt, message and document.
- If you have been cheated, stop paying immediately.
- Collect evidence: receipts, chats, bank transfers, names.
- Complain to the SLBFE and the police.
- Warn friends and family so others are not trapped.
Where to Get Help
| Problem | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Agent took money and disappeared | SLBFE complaints and the police |
| Trapped or abused abroad | Nearest Sri Lankan embassy or consulate |
| Suspected trafficking | Police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Unsure if an agency is licensed | SLBFE head office or regional office |
Before You Rely on Any Figure
The figures above come from SLBFE statements reported in January 2026 and official Sri Lankan government updates. Procedures and contact details can change, so confirm them on the SLBFE's official website. If you have lost money or documents, report it to the SLBFE and the police, and seek advice from a licensed lawyer. World Visa Academy is a training academy; it does not recruit workers or guarantee any job or visa.
The Honest Summary
Fake agents sell dreams, and they are good at it. Remember the 7 signs: guarantees, private sales of government programmes, unrealistic salaries, big advances, no licence, tourist visas for jobs, and strange routes. Check every licence with the SLBFE, use official programmes, and walk away when something feels wrong.
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View the courseFrequently Asked Questions
Confirm that the agency is licensed by the SLBFE and verify the employer independently. For government programmes like Korea and Israel, use the SLBFE directly.
The SLBFE said 791 cases were filed over foreign employment scams in 2025, and it recovered more than 374 million rupees for victims.
No. Korean E-9 recruitment in Sri Lanka runs through the SLBFE and the government Employment Permit System.
No. Working on a tourist visa is illegal, and fake job offers on tourist visas have trapped Sri Lankans in cybercrime centres in Myanmar.
Stop paying, collect all evidence, and complain to the SLBFE and the police as soon as possible.
Registration gives you access to insurance, welfare support and help from the government if problems arise abroad.
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