Foreign Job Issues

Social media has made life easier in many ways. But it has also opened floodgates for fraudsters to cheat unsuspecting people financially. As social media users have skyrocketed in number, so has the number of scam artists, who prey on the desperation as well as the dreams of the vulnerable. Whether it is a Nepali being held hostage in a country designated 'illegal to go to' by the government or the gullible ones with high hopes of making a quick and a huge fortune tricked into joining the Russian Army or the harrowing tales of our compatriots who perished while navigating the dangerous journey to the exceedingly distant country of their dreams, the problem has become so serious that the Department of Foreign Employment frequently alerts people to stay safe from agents assuring foreign jobs.

However, no matter their efforts, there always seems to be a good number of credulous people who easily believe the fake promises anyway. Individuals deceived under the pretence of lucrative foreign employment opportunities, who crowd the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office (KVCIO) of the Nepal Police every day, corroborate this fact.  Some come with indisputable evidence that they have been swindled, while others carry nothing but their distressing stories.

According to a news story elaborately featured on this daily on Thursday, the number of people being swindled in the name of foreign employment is steadily increasing. Over the past 10 months alone, over 500 victims have filed formal complaints, with claimed total amounts for the losses exceeding Rs. 1 billion. The actual figure is said to be much higher, as many victims are allegedly silenced by brokers through intimidation and false promises to dissuade them from filing complaints. Although investigations in response to complaints take place, traffickers and agents often outsmart the authorities. These middlemen are so cunning that they leave little to no evidence to suggest monetary transaction actually happened.

Many fall prey to alluring promises of jobs in Europe or the United States, while some return home after being stranded midway and abandoned by unscrupulous middlemen. Since many brokers operate from abroad, bringing them under the legal net remains a significant challenge. These agents often live overseas but continue to target individuals back in their hometowns. Typically, scammers initially demand a small sum and gradually ask for more after the victim reaches a transit country.  

Many fall for professionally designed ads and targeted at a susceptible population. Those who lose money this way are not only ruined financially; their family and social lives also take a heavy blow. Some get so traumatised that they fail to recover; others spend the most of rest of their life trying to locate the whereabouts of their tormentors to recover the money or to bring them to justice. 

Under the Foreign Employment Act 2007, Nepali migrant workers are legally permitted to work abroad only through government-approved destination countries and licensed recruitment agencies. Workers must obtain official labour approval from the department and are required to depart via Nepal's designated international airports. Authorities urge prospective migrant workers to thoroughly assess their skills and qualifications before pursuing jobs abroad and to transfer funds only through banking channels. They also warn against sending money to brokers based solely on verbal promises or without written agreements. Heeding these warnings is critical to keeping oneself safe from being swindled.