Avoid Recruitment Fraud: A Safety Guide for Overseas Jobs

24 July 20269 min readAllied Services International

Verify the recruiter, job permission, contract, visa and every payment before you commit to an overseas job from Pakistan.

The 60-Second Safety Check

Recruiter

Is the Overseas Employment Promoter (OEP) listed with a valid licence, correct office address and current status on BE&OE?

Job permission

Can you find the job demand on BE&OE by permission number, licence number, job title or country?

Contract and visa

Do the employer, occupation, salary, benefits, deductions and destination match across the advertisement, contract and work visa?

Payment trail

Are you using a formal, traceable payment channel and receiving an official itemised receipt for every payment?

If any answer is “no”, “not yet” or “the agent will explain later”, stop and verify first. A licence confirms an agency's status; it does not make every message, representative or job offer genuine.

Verify an Overseas Job Step by Step

Record the claimAsk for the agency's full legal name, OEP licence number, BE&OE permission number, foreign employer, job title, country, salary and registered office address. Do not rely on a first name or mobile number.
Check the OEP licenceSearch the official BE&OE list of Overseas Employment Promoters. Match the licence title, proprietor, status, expiry date, head office and any listed branch. Similar names are not enough.
Check the specific job permissionSearch BE&OE Foreign Jobs using the permission number or OEP licence number. Compare the occupation, employer, country, place of duty, salary and available positions with what you were offered.
Confirm the representative and locationDeal only with an authorised representative at the agency's registered office or an authorised recruitment location. BE&OE specifically warns candidates not to transact outside the registered address and to check provincial recruitment authority where applicable.
Read the employment contractConfirm employer name, occupation, salary and currency, duty location, contract period, working hours, leave, accommodation, food, transport, medical cover, air ticket terms and all deductions. Never sign a blank, incomplete or different-language document you do not understand.
Confirm it is a work visaBE&OE's illegal-recruitment guidance says not to accept a tourist visa for overseas employment. Make sure the visa category and employer details fit the job being offered.
Verify before each paymentOnly pay after the job, contract and recipient have been verified. Use the required formal channel, keep the transaction record, and obtain an official receipt that identifies the agency, purpose, amount and date.
Complete Protector registrationBE&OE explains that “Protection” includes the Foreign Service Agreement signed by the worker and employer/OEP and countersigned by the Protector of Emigrants. Use the relevant Protector of Emigrants office if you need to confirm an advertisement or process.

Warning Signs That Mean “Stop”

A recruiter is absent from the valid OEP list, has an expired/suspended status, or refuses to give a licence number.
A licensed agency cannot provide a permission or job-order number for the vacancy.
A travel agency, training centre or individual promises a job but is not an authorised representative of a licensed OEP.
You are asked to meet, submit documents or pay outside the agency's registered office without verifiable authority.
The advertisement uses only a P.O. Box, social-media inbox or mobile number and asks you to send money for “processing”.
You are promised a guaranteed visa, guaranteed selection or unusually fast departure if you pay immediately.
You are offered a tourist or visit visa for work, or told the work visa will be “converted after arrival”.
The employer, job title, salary, country or duty location changes between the advertisement, interview, contract and visa.
You are asked for cash without an official receipt, payment to an unrelated personal account, or an amount that is not itemised.
You are pressured to sign blank papers, hide information from family or authorities, or surrender original documents without acknowledgement.

One warning sign may be a mistake; several together are a strong reason to stop. Keep control of your passport and CNIC, share copies only when necessary, and ask for a written acknowledgement whenever an original document is temporarily submitted.

Payments, Fees and Receipts

Check the current official fee page

Fee amounts can change. Compare any quoted government and OEP charges with the live BE&OE Emigrant Fee Structure instead of relying on an old screenshot or forwarded message.

Use formal channels

BE&OE announced mandatory formal banking channels for transactions between emigrants and OEPs. Government BE&OE fees also moved to a QR-based cashless mechanism at Protectorate offices in July 2026.

Demand an itemised receipt

The receipt should show the licensed agency's identity, date, amount, payment purpose and payer. A handwritten note from an individual is not equivalent to an official agency or government receipt.

Preserve the evidence

Save bank confirmations, QR receipts, invoices, contracts and messages. Do not delete chats after a dispute begins, and do not send more money to “unlock” a refund.

BE&OE's official guidance says not to pay a placement fee without a valid employment contract and official receipt, and not to pay more than the allowed fee. This guide deliberately does not publish a fixed rupee amount: use the current official fee page and ask the Protector of Emigrants to clarify any charge you do not understand.

What to Do If You Suspect Fraud

Stop further paymentDo not pay a “release”, “cancellation”, “security” or “refund processing” amount while the claim is being checked.
Secure your accounts and documentsContact your bank or wallet provider promptly about a suspicious transfer. If passport or identity data may be misused, record exactly what was shared and with whom.
Build an evidence fileKeep the advertisement, webpage URL, screenshots, chats, voice notes, names, phone numbers, OEP licence and permission numbers, contract, visa, receipts and transaction references. Write a short date-by-date timeline.
Report through the correct official channelFor a licensed OEP, use BE&OE's complaint system or a Protector of Emigrants office. For an unlicensed/fake recruiter or suspected trafficking/smuggling, report to FIA as well.
Keep your complaint referenceSave the complaint ID and copies of everything submitted. Follow up through the same official channel; do not pay a private “complaint fixer”.

Official Reporting and Verification Channels

Need	Official channel	Use it for
Verify an OEP	BE&OE valid OEP list	Licence status, expiry, registered office, branches and permissions
Verify a vacancy	BE&OE Foreign Jobs	Permission number, job, employer/OEP, location and advertised terms
Complain about an OEP	BE&OE complaint form and complaint contacts	Recruitment complaints and supporting evidence
Verify locally	Protector of Emigrants offices	Job advertisement, protection process and local verification
Report a fake agent or trafficking concern	FIA Complaint Portal and Anti Human Trafficking and Smuggling Wing	Unlicensed recruiters, forged documents, trafficking or smuggling concerns
Escalate a grievance	Ministry complaint system	Ministry complaint email, phone, in-person and Citizen Portal options

BE&OE currently publishes complaint contact details on its official page, including email, phone and WhatsApp. Because contact details can change, open the official complaint contacts page immediately before submitting your complaint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an OEP licence enough to prove my job is genuine?

No. Verify both layers: the agency's current licence and the specific foreign-job permission. Also confirm that the person contacting you is an authorised representative and that the office, employer and job terms match the official records.

What if the agency is licensed but my job is not on BE&OE?

Pause the process. Ask for the permission number and contact the relevant Protector of Emigrants office. BE&OE's guidance says not to deal with a licensed agency without a job order.

Can I travel on a tourist visa and start work later?

Do not treat that as a normal overseas-employment route. BE&OE's illegal-recruitment instructions expressly say not to accept a tourist visa. Verify the correct work visa and protection process before travel.

Should I pay cash if I receive a receipt?

A receipt alone does not make an unsafe payment method acceptable. Follow the current official payment instructions. BE&OE has required formal banking channels for emigrant–OEP transactions and introduced cashless QR payment for BE&OE fees at Protectorate offices. Confirm the recipient and purpose before authorising payment.

How much is an agency allowed to charge?

Do not rely on a number in an old post, video or forwarded message. Check the current BE&OE fee structure, ask for an itemised written quotation, and clarify any difference with a Protector of Emigrants office before paying.

What evidence should I attach to a complaint?

Attach the advertisement and URL, screenshots and chats, recruiter names and numbers, licence and permission details, contract or offer, visa copy, receipts, transaction references and a clear timeline. Keep originals and submit copies unless the authority specifically requests otherwise.

Where should I report an unlicensed or fake recruiting agent?

Report the case with supporting documents to BE&OE and FIA. BE&OE's FAQ says complaints against people who are not valid OEPs are referred to the Federal Investigation Agency. FIA also operates an official online complaint portal and an Anti Human Trafficking and Smuggling Wing.

Official Sources

Last source review: August 2026. Official procedures, contact details and charges can change; always re-check the linked government pages before acting.