FIA Warns Pakistanis About Foreign Job Scams

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has warned that criminal syndicates across Southeast Asia are luring Pakistanis with fake job offers, particularly in the IT and call-center sectors.

The agency said these groups operate in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and target people with promises of high salaries and quick employment. According to FIA Deputy Director Mehmood Ali Khokhar, many Pakistanis who travel on the basis of these offers are forced into cyber and financial crimes once they reach the destination.

He said criminal networks seize victims’ passports, subject them to threats, and extort money from their families if they refuse to cooperate. Khokhar urged all job seekers to verify any overseas employment offer through official channels and to report suspicious activity to the FIA before making travel plans.

He warned that what appears to be a lucrative offer “could turn into a nightmare.” The FIA recently launched a public awareness campaign after multiple cases surfaced involving Pakistanis trapped in fake call-center operations.

Earlier this year, Thai and Cambodian authorities rescued 215 foreign nationals from a major scam hub, including 50 Pakistanis. In another case, 38 Pakistanis fled to Thailand during an army crackdown on scam centers in Myanmar, while 60 others remain in shelters awaiting verification.

According to the FIA, victims are often trafficked into these networks and forced to participate in large-scale cyber fraud schemes.