The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued an advisory for Indian nationals traveling to Laos and Cambodia about scams by fake agents offering lucrative employment opportunities. Job seekers were advised to connect to authorized agents only and get in touch with the Indian embassy for clarification.
Instances of individuals being enticed by these fraudulent schemes have already surfaced. The advisory highlights that deceptive job offers for roles such as digital sales and marketing executives, or customer support service are being promoted by dubious organizations involved in call center scams and cryptocurrency fraud in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos. These companies have agents stationed in various locations, including Dubai, Bangkok, India, and Singapore, who are actively recruiting Indian citizens. The recruitment process consists of a simple interview and a typing test, with companies enticing candidates by offering attractive compensation packages, hotel accommodations, return airfare, and assistance with visa processing.
The ministry explained, “Visa on Arrival in Thailand or Laos does not permit employment, and the Lao authorities do not issue work permits to Indian nationals coming to Laos on such visas.” Thus, Indian nationals are urged to be cautious of such fraudulent or exploitative job offers.