How to Spot a Fake Manpower Agency in Nepal — And What to Do If Scammed

Every year, thousands of Nepali families lose their savings to fraudulent recruiters. The pattern is predictable — a too-good-to-be-true job, a quick cash demand, a fake-looking demand letter — and the same red flags repeat across cases. This guide is your defence: know the signs, verify before you pay, and understand exactly what to do if you've already been caught.

The 10 red flags of a fake agency

1. Promises that sound too good

"NPR 5 lakh per month salary, no experience needed, fly in 2 weeks." Real overseas wages have ranges and prerequisites. If the offer dramatically exceeds market rates for the role and the time-to-departure is unrealistic, it's bait.

2. No physical office

Legitimate DOFE-licensed agencies operate from registered offices. If you only ever meet at cafés, hotels or through Facebook DMs — walk away. Visit the office. Cross-check the address with the DOFE portal record.

3. No DOFE licence number on letterhead

Every licensed agency displays its DOFE licence number on its letterhead, business cards, website and contracts. Ask to see it. Cross-check on the official DOFE portal.

4. Fee far above the DOFE cap

The government-set service-charge cap for the Gulf is currently NPR 10,000+ actual costs (medical, insurance, ticket where applicable). Europe rates are slightly higher (NPR 15,000–20,000 + costs). If someone wants NPR 1–5 lakh upfront, that's the entire scam in one sentence.

5. Asks for cash without receipts

No legitimate transaction in Nepali recruitment happens without a stamped receipt. Period. If they refuse to give you a receipt, the transaction itself is illegal.

6. Pushes you to fly on a tourist visa

"Just go on visit visa — the company will convert it." This is illegal in every destination and ends in deportation plus a permanent ban. Real work-permit visas are stamped in your passport before flight.

7. No written contract before flight

Your contract must be in your hands, in a language you understand, before you leave. Refuse to fly without it. Take photos of every page.

8. Asks to keep your original passport

Agencies may briefly hold your passport for visa stamping. They cannot retain it. Once abroad, your employer cannot retain it either — it's illegal in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and every EU country.

9. Pressure tactics

"Only 3 seats left, pay today." Real DOFE pre-approval doesn't work on flash-sale urgency. Pressure to pay fast is the single most reliable scam signal.

10. Last-minute role change (bait-and-switch)

You signed for waiter; you fly for security guard at half the salary. The classic bait-and-switch. Refuse to fly until the visa, ticket and contract all match the original role.

The 3-minute agency verification

1. Open dofe.gov.np on your phone.
2. Search the agency by name or licence number in the Licensed Agencies database.
3. Confirm the licence status (active vs expired/suspended/cancelled).
4. Cross-check the registered address with where the agency physically operates.
5. Check the FEPB recognition list.

For reference: Glocal Workforce Nepal's DOFE licence is 1722/081/082, registered at Battishputali-9, Kathmandu. Verifiable on the portal right now.

Common scam patterns

The "visit visa now, work visa later" trap

You're told to fly on a tourist visa, "the company will convert it once you land." It cannot be converted — every Gulf country and EU member state requires the work permit to be processed before entry. You arrive, you can't legally work, the "company" vanishes, and you're stuck.

The "free visa, free ticket" pre-payment scam

The promise can be legitimate — many real Gulf jobs are free-visa-free-ticket. The scam variant is an upfront "processing fee" of NPR 2–5 lakh on top. Real free-visa positions process under DOFE pre-approval with no charge above the regulated limit.

The Facebook recruiter

Someone messages you on Facebook with photos of a real Gulf company. They want advance payment to "reserve your slot." The company doesn't know they exist. Once you pay, the recruiter disappears.

The fake demand letter

The agency shows you a printed "demand letter" that looks official. It's fabricated. To verify: ask for the DOFE pre-approval number and look it up on the portal's public registry of approved vacancies.

If you have been scammed

1. Document everything. Receipts, WhatsApp screenshots, names and phone numbers, photos of the office.
2. File a DOFE complaint at dofe.gov.np → Complaints. Include all evidence.
3. File a police report at your district police office. Recruitment fraud is a criminal offence under the Foreign Employment Act 2007.
4. Contact the Foreign Employment Tribunal for formal legal escalation.
5. Reach out to migrant-worker NGOs. Pourakhi Nepal, Amkas Nepal, NIDS — free legal aid and emotional support.

Help others by sharing

If you spot a scam pattern, post a warning in Nepali Facebook groups and on r/Nepal. One warning post can save 10 families from the same trap. Have questions about a specific agency or job offer? Reach out to our welfare desk— we provide free verification advice to anyone, even if you're not going through us.