Scam Category: Immigration / Visa Fraud

Affected Countries: UAE, United Kingdom, Australia, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines

Detected by: RAF Global Scam Surveillance Unit

First Detected: March 2024 | Ongoing in 2025

The Scam Explained

In early 2024, the RAF Cyber Crime Taskforce began receiving scattered reports of individuals being scammed by what appeared to be official-looking immigration websites for countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK), and Australia.

Upon investigation, our international analysts uncovered a well-organized network of fake websites — some cloned from real embassy portals, others completely fabricated with:

• Government logos

• “.gov.ae” or “.gov.uk” styled domains (e.g., uaevisa-gov.com, australiavfs-center.org)

• Fake helpline numbers with call centers speaking in regional accents

• Realistic visa application forms and tracking pages

The Websites typically offered:

• “Express Visa Approval” within 48 hours

• “Priority Appointment Booking” services for embassies

• Fake Verification Letters or e-visas sent via email

Modus Operandi

1. Social Media Targeting
   Paid ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram targeting job seekers, students, and tourists looking for fast visa processing.
   
   

2. SEO Manipulation
   Scam websites optimized to appear in Google search results when someone searches "UAE visa online", "UK express tourist visa", etc.

3. Fake Application Portals
   Victims are asked to upload:

   • Passport copies

   • Personal information

   • Financial documents

4. Payment Traps

   • Processing fee: ₹8,000–₹35,000 or $100–$500

   • Follow-up "document verification" fee: additional ₹10,000

   • Threat of visa rejection if not paid immediately

5. Vanishing Act
   After payment, either:

   • They send a fake visa confirmation PDF, then disappear

   • Or stop responding entirely

   • In some cases, victims are blackmailed using their documents

Fiew Real Case Examples

Victim 1: Rohit M., Kochi (India)

Applied through uae-visaexpressgov.com for a job-linked tourist visa. Paid ₹22,000 and received a PDF claiming to be from the Dubai Embassy. Upon arrival, he was detained at the airport with a fake visa confirmation and had to return on his own expense.

Victim 2: May C., Quezon City (Philippines)

Sought a UK visa for caregiving work. The site ukvisa-priorityservices.com had a cloned form from VFS. After paying $310, she was told her visa was rejected and needed to reapply. The contact number was deactivated days later.

RAF Response

• 45+ domains blacklisted and reported to international hosting providers

• Digital fingerprints shared with INTERPOL cyber division

• Local cybercrime police units alerted in UAE, UK, and India

• Awareness campaigns launched in Hindi, Tagalog, and Arabic

How to Identify a Fake Visa Site

• Always check for “.gov” or official domain suffixes.

• Never trust visa services promoted only through Instagram or WhatsApp.

• Use official government or VFS websites only.

• No legitimate embassy offers guaranteed visa approvals via online-only chat.

• Call and verify — don’t rely only on emails and flashy websites.

What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed

1. Immediately report the site to report.cct@proton.me

2. File a complaint with your country’s Cybercrime Police

3. Inform your bank or payment provider — seek refund through fraud claim

4. Monitor your identity — if you uploaded your passport, secure it immediately