Afghan citizens become victims of immigration scammers in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Kauser News investigative reporter and intelligence researcher Naweed Yousufi worked undercover for more than three months within the Afghan community in Afghanistan and Pakistan, aiming to understand why Afghan citizens become victims of scammers and how these scams operate. The reporter discovered that the scammers employ sophisticated tactics, often working in organized groups, making it challenging to identify their telltale signs or gather concrete evidence against them.

The scammers specifically target community leaders and civil activists within the Afghan community, using a bait-and-switch strategy to trap their victims. They exploit the trust placed in these individuals and leverage their influence to gain access to potential targets.

The scams revolve around promising documentation for various visa applications, including Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) for the United States, visas for Germany, Canada, the UK, and others. The scammers present themselves as facilitators or middlemen who claim to have connections or insider information that can expedite the visa process.

To further deceive their victims, the scammers adopt sophisticated methods, making it difficult to uncover their true identities or trace their activities. They may use fake websites, social media profiles, or phone numbers to create an illusion of legitimacy. Additionally, they employ emotional manipulation by presenting compelling stories or false narratives to gain the trust and sympathy of their targets.

Throughout the undercover investigation, the reporter witnessed the complexity of the scamming operations and the challenges associated with uncovering their activities. The scammers operate like a network of sharks, working together to exploit vulnerable individuals seeking opportunities to improve their lives or escape from the challenging circumstances in Afghanistan.

The investigative reporter’s efforts aimed to shed light on these scams, raise awareness within the Afghan community, and provide valuable insights to law enforcement agencies and authorities. By exposing the methods employed by these scammers and sharing their tactics, the hope is to empower potential victims to recognize and avoid falling prey to such fraudulent schemes.

Afghans may have become victims of visa scams after 2021 due to several factors specific to the events that took place in Afghanistan during that period. These factors include:

1. Political instability and insecurity: Following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, Afghanistan experienced significant political upheaval and insecurity. This created a climate of uncertainty and desperation among many Afghans who sought to leave the country. Scammers exploit this vulnerability by offering false promises of visas or evacuation assistance.
2. Disruption of official channels: The rapid collapse of the Afghan government and the withdrawal of foreign forces led to the disruption of official visa application processes. Embassies and consulates closed, and the ability to access legitimate channels for visa applications became limited or uncertain. Scammers took advantage of this chaos and uncertainty by posing as intermediaries who claimed to have access to alternative ways to obtain visas.
3. Mass displacement and refugee crisis: The Taliban takeover triggered a mass displacement of Afghans, both within the country and across international borders. Many Afghan refugees sought safety and asylum in neighboring countries and beyond. Scammers exploit the vulnerability and desperation of displaced individuals by offering fraudulent visa services, taking advantage of their desire to find a secure haven.
4. Information void and misinformation: In the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, there was a lack of reliable and up-to-date information about the visa application process, evacuation efforts, and immigration policies of different countries. This information void created fertile ground for scammers to spread misinformation and false promises about visa opportunities, leading some Afghans to become victims of fraud.
5. Humanitarian assistance and aid: The dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan attracted international attention, with numerous organizations and individuals offering assistance and support. Scammers capitalized on this goodwill by impersonating aid workers or representatives of international organizations, promising visa assistance or access to humanitarian programs in exchange for money.

It is important for Afghan individuals and families to exercise caution, seek information from reliable sources, and avoid sharing personal or financial details with unknown individuals or entities. Engaging with reputable organizations, legal immigration services, and official channels for visa applications can help mitigate the risk of falling victim to visa scams. Additionally, reporting any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities can contribute to the identification and prevention of scams.

US. Embassy shared the below information on the Embassy website which will be useful for victims to report Scammers

U.S. Embassy Kabul frequently receives inquiries from people who have been victimized by Internet scammers.  These scams are attempts by con artists to convince you to send them money by developing a friendship, romance, or business partnership online, and then exploiting that relationship to ask for money.

The most common scam we see involves calls, texts, or social media messages (Facebook, WhatsApp, Viber, Kik, dating apps, etc) from a person claiming to be a U.S. citizen stationed in Afghanistan as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, a military contractor, a U.S. Embassy diplomat, or an employee of an international aid organization.

These con artists are very convincing and troll the Internet for potential victims, spending weeks or months to build a relationship. To back up their fake stories, they often steal real soldiers’ or models’ photos and names gleaned from internet websites.  Once they have gained their victim’s trust, the scammers create a false situation and ask for money.  Scammers can be very clever and deceptive, creating sad and believable stories that will make you want to send them money.  After the person receives the money, they disappear and do not respond to messages.

Before you send funds, check to see if you recognize any of the following “red flags” as warning signs, and realize that you may be a potential victim of a scam:

• You have never met your friend/boyfriend/girlfriend/fiancé/business partner in person; all your communication has been strictly online.
• The person claims they have suffered a serious injury in Afghanistan and need assistance to return to the United States, or claims they need money to travel home to visit a sick relative. These are all lies. The U.S. government and military have systems in place to evacuate service members, diplomats, and contractors who are injured or need to visit families in the United States for emergencies.
• The person claims they are a U.S. soldier who wants to visit you during their “R&R” vacation, but needs you to send money or a credit card so they can buy plane tickets. Again, these are all lies. The U.S. military has systems in place for service members to travel on leave.
• The person claims they need your help to pay an Afghan “exit fee,” or claims they need the U.S. Embassy to issue them an “exit letter” to take leave.  Military personnel do not need Embassy permission to take leave, and Afghanistan does not charge exit fees to leave the country.
• The person claims they contacted the U.S. Embassy but were refused help. The protection of U.S. citizens abroad is the top priority of U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide.
• The person claims they are being detained at the U.S. Embassy pending payment of some type of fee or passport problem. U.S. embassies do not detain people.
• The person claims they are a U.S. military service member or diplomat, and offers you millions of dollars if you help them move money or gold out of Afghanistan. This is a twist on the old “Nigerian Prince” scam.
• The person’s luck is incredibly bad – he or she has been in a car crash, arrested, mugged, beaten, hospitalized, etc. They claim their family members are dead or unable to assist.
• The person has many excuses why they cannot directly call the U.S. Embassy for help, yet they are somehow able to communicate with you alone.
• The person sends you a scanned copy of their U.S. passport as “proof” they are a U.S. citizen, but the passport contains spelling errors, inconsistent fonts, and a “Photoshopped” image that does not meet U.S. passport photo standards.
• The person claims to have been born and raised in the United States, but uses poor grammar and spelling indicative of a non-native English speaker.
• The person claims to be in Afghanistan, but asks you to send money to an account in a third country, such as Nigeria.
• You sent money to the scammer for visas or plane tickets, but they always have a new excuse why they cannot travel, often citing detention by military or immigration officials.
• Specific scams targeting Afghans:
  • The scammer claims they represent a well-known American company and promises you a job and U.S. work permit, but only if you pay a fee for visas or other services.
  • The scammer claims they are an attractive American citizen who wants to marry you, if you send them money for a U.S. visa or “green card”.
  • The scammer claims they are a U.S. consular officer and says you have won the Diversity Visa Lottery, or a job and work permit. U.S. diplomats do not “cold call” people with offers of visas or jobs. For more information about DV Lottery scams, click here.

The U.S. Embassy strongly cautions against sending money to persons whom you have not met personally prior to their purported travel to Afghanistan.

If you believe you are the victim of an Internet scam:

1. DO NOT SEND MONEY. Unfortunately, any money that you may have already sent is probably not recoverable.
2. END ALL COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCAMMER IMMEDIATELY. Do not attempt to resolve the situation with the scammer. If you feel threatened, contact your local police at once. Do not attempt to personally recover the funds lost.
3. REPORT THE SCAM IMMEDIATELY. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center — a partnership among the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BIA) — at ic3.gov. Also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.  For more information on international financial scams, please visit http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/emergencies/scams.html.
4. REPORT THE WEBSITE. If the scam originated through a particular website or social media platform, notify the administrators of that website or platform.