Tick everything that is true about the offer. One serious warning sign is enough to stop and check.
They want you to go on a visit or tourist visa and 'get a work visa there'. Working on a visit visa is illegal, you won't have a labour permit or insurance, and you can be jailed or deported.
They won't give a receipt, or the receipt shows less than you actually paid. Without a receipt for every rupee you can't get your money back through DoFE or the Foreign Employment Tribunal.
The agency isn't on DoFE's licensed list, or meets you in a café, hotel or private house instead of a registered office. Only licensed agencies can legally send workers abroad. Unlicensed 'agents' disappear with the money.
They ask for money before showing a demand letter approved by DoFE for your exact job. Every legal overseas job from Nepal has an approved demand letter. Compare its company, salary and hours with your contract.
They 'guarantee' a visa, a lottery win (like the DV), an exam pass or selection. Nobody can guarantee a visa, DV lottery, EPS-TOPIK pass or Gurkha selection. Paying for a guarantee is paying a fraudster.
They charge you to get into a government-to-government scheme (Korea EPS, Israel caregivers) or to enter the US DV lottery. These are run by governments with only small official fees paid directly. No agent is involved.
They are selling a job sponsorship: a Canada LMIA, UK Certificate of Sponsorship, Australia 482 'sponsor job' or NZ AEWV job. Selling these is illegal in those countries. Thousands of people have lost Rs 15–40 lakh this way.
The offer is for a route that is closed to Nepalis: UK care-worker visa, Portugal work visa, Canada caregiver pilot, Australia or New Zealand seasonal farm visa, US H-2A/H-2B. These routes are closed or not open to Nepali citizens. Check the country guide before paying anything.
They plan to send you 'via' India, Dubai, Croatia or another country to reach Europe or America. This usually means illegal onward travel or the deadly 'dunki' route. You lose your right to stay and your money.
They offer to arrange a bank balance, experience letter, marriage or other documents for you. Fake documents are often found by embassies and can get you banned for years.
They want to keep your original passport or citizenship certificate. Only an embassy or visa centre should hold your passport, and only while processing your visa.
The salary is much higher than other offers for the same job and country. Unusually high pay is a common bait. Compare with the minimum wages and typical pay in our country guides.
You haven't seen the contract, or it isn't in a language you understand. Read the salary, hours, overtime, food, housing and contract length before signing. Ask for it in Nepali.
They pressure you to pay today — 'only a few seats left'. Pressure is a sales trick. A real job will still be there after you check the agency and demand letter.
You only know them through Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp or Viber. Most foreign-employment fraud in Nepal now starts on social media. Meet at the licensed office and check the licence.
What to do now
Check the agency's licence on the Department of Foreign Employment website and visit its registered office.
Ask to see the DoFE-approved demand letter for your exact job and compare it with your contract.
Pay only through a bank and keep a receipt for every payment.
If you have already been cheated, file a complaint online with DoFE — you'll get a tracking code.