The Australian High Commission in Bangladesh, in partnership with international counterparts, is raising awareness of visa scams and fraudulent migration practices as part of International Fraud Awareness Week, November 16–22.Â
Visa fraud is a growing global issue, with criminals deceiving individuals through false visa guarantees, fake visa documents, and claims of being legitimate migration agents, said a press release of the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh on Thursday.Â
International Fraud Awareness Week is a global event encouraging governments, businesses, and community organisations to work together to reduce the impact of fraud through education and awareness.
The release reminded people that the Australian government never requests payments through social media or unofficial websites and Visa applicants were encouraged to visit homeaffairs.gov.au/visascams to learn how to recognise and report visa scams.
The campaign will continue into 2026, particularly during peak visa application periods, with tailored messages developed to address local challenges and encourage behaviour change.
At the ‘2025 Five Country Ministerial’ held in September, Ministers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States affirmed their shared commitment to protect the integrity of migration and border systems.
As part of this commitment, a coordinated four country international campaign — ‘Fighting Visa Fraud’ — aimed at protecting migrants and strengthening global border integrity is being launched this week.
While the United States is unable to participate in this year’s launch, it remains supportive of the initiative.
