What it looks like
"Canada admission and visa 100% guaranteed, no IELTS needed. Pay Rs 3 lakh today, we handle everything. Part-time job also arranged."
How the study abroad agent scam works
- An agent advertises 'guaranteed' admission and visa, often with job promises and low requirements.
- They ask for large cash or bank payments for 'fees', 'deposits' or 'processing'.
- They apply using their own email and phone, so you never deal directly with the university.
- You receive a forged admission letter, or are placed in an unrecognised or fake institution.
- The visa is refused, or problems surface after you arrive, sometimes leading to removal orders.
- The agent stops responding or blames the embassy.
Red flags
- '100% visa guarantee' or 'no language test needed' promises.
- Agent will not let you contact the university directly or use your own email.
- A 'complete package' with admission, visa and a guaranteed job.
- Fees paid to the agent's personal account instead of the university.
- A university with no real campus, faculty or classes.
- Pressure to pay quickly before 'seats run out'.
- Fake documents offered for bank balance, marks or work experience.
What to do
- Check the institution is recognised on the destination country's official government or education website.
- Confirm your offer letter directly with the university's admissions office using contact details from its official site.
- Apply using your own email and pay fees directly to the university wherever possible.
- Never use forged documents, even if the agent says it is normal.
- If cheated, file a police complaint, and in India report at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 for online payments.
- If you are already abroad, contact the Indian embassy or consulate and the country's immigration authority.
Protect your family
Parents should sit in on agent meetings, check every document with the university themselves, and keep copies of all receipts. Never hand passports or original certificates to an agent without a written receipt.
Also known as: fake admission letter, education consultant fraud, student visa agent scam
Questions people ask
How can I verify a foreign university admission letter?
Email or call the university's admissions office using details from its official website, not the ones on the letter or from the agent, and confirm your application number.
Can I be deported because of a fake admission letter from my agent?
It can happen. In Canada, students linked to fake acceptance letters faced investigations and some removal orders, even though authorities said they would focus on the organisers.
Should I use an agent to study abroad?
You can, but use a recognised agent, keep control of your own application, and be wary of 'complete package' or job guarantees. Germany's ambassador warned Indian students about exactly this in 2025.