Safety
How to Spot Fake Visa Sites and Embassy Phone Scams
Missions regularly warn about scams in their name. Here’s how they work and how to shut them down in seconds.
Scam 1: The “embassy” phone call
A caller says your passport, visa or OCI has a problem and demands immediate payment — often in gift cards, crypto or wire transfers — to avoid deportation or arrest. Missions have warned that their real numbers have been spoofed so the call appears genuine. The High Commission in London, for example, has warned people not to pay callers or share personal details such as passport numbers.
Rule: Indian missions do not demand payment over the phone. Hang up and call the mission back using the number on its official website.
Scam 2: The look-alike visa website
These sites copy the colours and language of government portals, rank well in search ads, and charge several times the real fee — sometimes delivering nothing at all. The official visa portal is indianvisaonline.gov.in, and the official site warns that agents and intermediaries are not authorised to charge for visas or the e-Arrival card.
Scam 3: The appointment tout
When slots are scarce, people sell “guaranteed” appointments. Official centres state that appointments are booked only through their own websites. Bought slots are frequently cancelled.
Scam 4: The fake job with a visa
Offers of overseas jobs that require you to pay for the visa or “processing” are a classic trap. Gulf missions maintain lists of approved recruitment centres and publish advisories about fraudulent agencies.
The 30-second checklist
- Does the website end in .gov.in, or is it the provider named on the mission’s own site?
- Is someone asking you to pay by gift card, crypto or wire? → Scam.
- Is there pressure to act “today” or face arrest? → Scam.
- Were you contacted first, out of the blue? → Treat as suspicious.
- Can you verify by calling the number on the mission’s official site? → Do it.
Where we stand
IndianConsulate.com is an independent guide. We never sell visas or appointments, never collect government fees, and never call you asking for money. Help requests are answered by email, and you always pay government fees on official portals.
Report it
Report scams to the mission concerned, to local police, and — for consular problems — through the MEA’s MADAD grievance portal.