Beware of job scams
Many people in India are being cheated with job offers and lotteries that do not exist. Stop and think before you part with your money, your passport, your personal details or your current job.
Many scams may appear to come from the Netherlands, but the criminals behind the scam are actually based in other countries. There are also cases known where the sender offers a job and a visa, using an actual name of an embassy employee.
If the offer sounds too good to be true…beware. It could be a scam.
- You receive an offer of a job about which you have no prior knowledge
- You receive an offer by email
- You are asked for your bank account details by email or phone
- You are offered cash in exchange for bank account details
- You are told you have won a lottery, but you have not bought a ticket.
If you receive a spam email:
- Do not pay any money
- Do not have any further contact with the originators of the email - these people are professional criminals and their aim is to exploit you and take your money and/or your personal details.
If you have been cheated because of a job or lottery scam:
- Report it to the Indian police authorities
This is an international crime - investigations must be taken forward by the Indian police, CBI and Interpol. The Netherlands Embassy has no jurisdiction to investigate or take out criminal prosecutions in India.
How to find out if a company is genuine?
Some job scams can be very clever. Check the company’s details very carefully.
Genuine Dutch company websites may be provided, but the contact email addresses may be false. A genuine company name may be given, but the address will be wrong. For example: genuine website - www.government.nl. False contact details - nlgovernment@hotmail.com.
- Phone the company in the Netherlands if you are approached about a job
- Genuine Dutch companies do not give a mobile number for contact details. Request a landline number
- Most genuine Dutch companies do not use a hotmail, yahoo or gmail type email accounts.
Visa fees
- Current visa fees are published on the VFS website: https://www.vfsglobal.com/Netherlands/India/visa_fees_at_glance.html
- Visa application forms are free of charge. Information and guidance on application procedures are published on https://www.vfsglobal.com/Netherlands/India/
- Netherlands Embassy staff do not ask you for payment of fees directly. Visa fees are paid at VFS visa application centres where all applications are made. There are no “additional visa fees”
- The Netherlands Government does not provide or charge for “additional services” such as travel insurance, health screening checks, police checks, security checks etc.