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Australia has joined its international partners in a coordinated campaign to raise awareness about visa scams as part of International Fraud Awareness Week, warning that fraudulent agents are increasingly targeting would-be migrants across South Asia, said a spokesman of the Australian High Commission in Dhaka on Thursday.
The initiative, titled ‘Fighting Visa Fraud’, is being rolled out in collaboration with Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, following commitments made at the Five Country Ministerial (FCM) earlier this year.
The United States, though unable to participate in this week’s launch, remains supportive of the effort.
In Dhaka, the Australian High Commission said it was stepping up outreach efforts to help protect Bangladeshi applicants from falling victim to fake migration agents who offer bogus guarantees, forge documents, and impersonate legitimate consultants.
Officials described visa fraud as a “growing global issue” that can leave victims with devastating financial losses and lasting difficulties in future travel.
Speaking during the awareness week, Acting Australian High Commissioner Clinton Pobke said the expansion of the Home Affairs Office’s presence in Dhaka was part of a wider push to safeguard applicants.
“Visa scams exploit those with a genuine interest in travelling or studying in Australia,” he said.
“There is a lot of false visa information online and on social media, including fake news stories. We are working to help protect visa applicants from losing their savings and safeguard the integrity of Australia’s migration system.”
The campaign aims to educate applicants on the tactics used by fraudulent facilitators and discourage reliance on unverified intermediaries.
Participating governments will send out coordinated messages through 2026, especially during peak visa application periods, urging people to use only official government channels.
The High Commission warned that scam agents are “extremely likely” to be operating in local communities and encouraged the public to report suspicious behaviour.
Applicants were advised to consult official resources and reminded that the Australian government never requests payments through social media or unofficial websites.
Pobke said Australia was “proud to stand with international partners” to combat visa fraud and urged travellers to “always use trusted, official sources and beware of anyone promising shortcuts or guaranteed results.”