Visa Fraud Remains a Major Concern Despite Awareness Efforts.
Visa fraud continues to be a significant issue, drawing negative attention even as awareness campaigns grow.
On October 19, Bijoy Thomas, a 51-year-old from Kakkanad, was arrested by police in Edathua, Kerala. He is accused of defrauding 34-year-old Sharanya from Thalavady, who tragically took her own life after losing approximately Rs 65 lakh, according to Business Standard.
In response to rising threats like this, the Kerala government announced on Friday the formation of a specialized task force to address the increasing complaints of illegal recruitment and visa fraud. Led by Dr. K. Vasuki, Secretary of the Department of Expatriate Affairs, this initiative is part of NORKA’s “Operation Shubhayatra,” which aims to protect the rights and welfare of Keralites living abroad.
The new task force will include:
The Chief Executive Officer of NORKA Roots
Officers from the Protector of Emigrants in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam
The Superintendent of Police from the NRI Cell
The task force plans to meet monthly to review the progress of investigations related to visa fraud.
Recent data from the Kerala state police shows a troubling increase in visa fraud cases, with 795 incidents reported in 2023 alone. This issue is not limited to Kerala; last week, a businessman from Ranip, Gujarat, was reportedly scammed out of Rs 3.10 crore by two individuals who promised him an EB-5 visa. This U.S. program allows investors and their families to live and work in the United States.
Fraudsters are increasingly targeting the EB-5 visa pathway. In another concerning incident, Gujarat police received two separate complaints about a Canada visa scam, amounting to Rs 59 lakh.
One complaint involved Umiya Overseas Consultancy in Kudasan, which allegedly cheated a woman out of Rs 25 lakh. In another case, Jaydeep Patel from Sabarkantha was tricked into paying Rs 34 lakh to Atlantic Study Overseas, a Mumbai-based consultancy, in hopes of moving to Canada. After completing his IELTS exam, Patel found that the consultancy had cut off all communication.
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