UAE Fake Job Offer? How to Verify Your Job Offer & Avoid Visa Scams (2026 Guide)

Every year, thousands of job seekers from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh fall victim to sophisticated employment fraud across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the wider United Arab Emirates. Fraudulent recruiters issue forged company offer letters, demand unauthorized recruitment and medical fees, or issue tourist visas falsely disguised as permanent work permits. Verifying your official Ministry offer letter, checking the employer's trade license, and confirming your electronic entry permit through official UAE government portals before transferring money or boarding a flight is the only guaranteed way to protect your finances and legal standing.

1. Quick Answer: 4 Steps to Verify Any UAE Job Offer

2. Red Flags of a Fake UAE Job Offer Letter

Fraudsters design convincing PDF documents featuring official UAE emblems, high-resolution company logos, and fake digital stamps. Look out for these telltale signs of fraudulent recruitment:

• Generic Letterhead with No MOHRE Format: The offer letter is printed on a generic company template with English-only text, rather than the standardized bilingual (Arabic and English) statutory format issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
• Upfront Demands for Visa or Processing Fees: The recruiter or agency asks you to remit money (often AED 1,000 to AED 3,000, or equivalent in INR, PKR, or BDT) to cover "work permit application", "medical clearance", "mandatory expatriate insurance", or "refundable airfare".
• Nominated Fake Travel Agency: The letter instructs you to contact a specific "authorized travel partner" or "nominated ticketing agency" to pay for your travel clearance and visa fees. Genuine UAE employers process work visas directly through MOHRE and immigration—never through external ticketing touts.
• Free Public Email Addresses: Official correspondence originates from generic free email providers (such as @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, @hotmail.com, or @consultant.com) instead of an established corporate domain matching the company's official website.
• Instant Selection Without Rigorous Screening: You receive an extravagant job offer without undergoing a technical interview, video conference, or formal skills assessment.
• Unrealistically Inflated Wages: Positions for semi-skilled or unskilled roles (such as drivers, security guards, general helpers, or clerks) offering unusually high wages (e.g., AED 7,000 to AED 12,000) accompanied by "free luxury accommodation and international annual leave".
• Bank Transfers to Personal Accounts: You are instructed to transfer funds via UPI, IMPS, Easypaisa, bKash, or personal overseas bank accounts rather than a registered commercial entity.

3. Step 1: MOHRE Official Job Offer Inquiry (Step-by-Step)

In the UAE mainland private sector, an employer cannot simply type an offer letter on Microsoft Word and consider it legally binding. Before an entry permit for employment can be issued, the employer must submit a standardized Job Offer to MOHRE and receive official pre-approval.

What Genuine MOHRE Offer Letters Look Like:

• They follow a standardized bilingual template (Arabic on the right, English on the left) with official Ministry headers.
• They contain a unique Transaction Number (typically beginning with ST or MB, followed by digits) and a bar code.
• They detail the exact occupational title, basic monthly wage, housing allowance, transport allowance, and probation terms approved by the Ministry.

How to Check the Offer on the Official MOHRE Portal:

1. Visit the official MOHRE Offer Inquiry Portal: receipts.mohre.gov.ae/OfferInquiry (or access via the central inquiry.mohre.gov.ae / MOHRE eServices).
2. Enter the Transaction Number (reference number starting with ST or MB) found at the top of your document.
3. Enter your Passport Number, select your Nationality, and input the security captcha verification code.
4. Click Search / Inquire:
   • If Genuine: The official portal will display the exact approved labor contract details registered in the Ministry's central database, allowing you to view and download the official contract terms.
   • If Counterfeit: The system will return an error stating "No data found" or "Invalid transaction number". If the reference number does not exist on MOHRE's servers, the document is an absolute forgery.

4. Step 2: UAE Company & Trade License Verification

Scammers frequently steal the identity of real, prestigious UAE corporations, copying their registered names, addresses, and trade license numbers onto forged letterheads. Therefore, verifying that a company exists is not enough—you must verify that the person communicating with you actually represents that legitimate business.

Where to Verify UAE Business Licenses:

• Federal National Economic Register (Growth Platform): Visit the official Ministry of Economy unified platform at growth.gov.ae (or moec.gov.ae Business Directory). Search the company's Arabic or English commercial trade name to confirm active license status, legal entity form, and registered emirate.
• Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET / DED): Use the official Dubai DED commercial directory to verify active trade licenses operating within Dubai.
• Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED): Use the ADDED portal to check commercial licenses registered in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

How to Expose Identity Theft:

1. Do not call or WhatsApp the telephone numbers printed on the suspicious PDF letterhead.
2. Search the company's verified corporate profile on the official government business registry or reputable directory (such as UAE Yellow Pages or official company website).
3. Call the official corporate landline (e.g., telephone numbers starting with +971 4 for Dubai, +971 2 for Abu Dhabi, or +971 6 for Sharjah).
4. Ask to speak directly with the Human Resources or Recruitment department. Quote the job offer reference number and ask if they have extended an employment offer to your name.

5. Step 3: Entry Permit & Visa Verification (GDRFA vs ICP)

Once a genuine job offer is signed, the employer applies for your Employment Entry Permit (e-Visa). In the UAE, immigration authority is split between Dubai and the other six emirates. You must use the correct portal based on where the visa was issued.

Case A: Dubai-Issued Visas (GDRFA Dubai)

If your sponsoring employer is licensed in Dubai, your entry permit is issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai):

1. Visit the official GDRFA Dubai Status Inquiry Service: smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/Public_Th/StatusInquiry_New.aspx.
2. Select Search by Application / File.
3. Input your Application Number, Transaction Number, or File Number (found on the top right of the electronic entry permit).
4. Enter your First Name (in English), select your Nationality, and provide your Date of Birth.
5. Click Submit. If active, the system displays your legal visa status, validity dates, and sponsor entity. You can also verify Dubai visas by calling the official Amer Service toll-free at 800 5111 (international: +971 4 313 9999).

Case B: Visas Issued in Other 6 Emirates (ICP Smart Services)

If your sponsor is located in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, or Umm Al Quwain, your entry permit is issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP):

1. Visit the official ICP File Validity Portal: smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidity.
2. Select Search by Passport Information, then choose Visa.
3. Enter your Passport Number, select your Nationality, and enter your Date of Birth.
4. Click Search to check if an active electronic visa is registered in federal immigration records. ICP Call Center: 600 522 222.

6. UAE Recruitment Fee Law: Article 6 Protection

One of the most effective ways to spot a scam is understanding UAE labor law regarding recruitment fees. The statutory protection is unequivocal:

"It is prohibited for the employer, or its representative, to charge or accept from the worker, whether before or after joining the work, any amounts, fees or expenses for any reason whatsoever, directly or indirectly."
— Article 6, Clause 4, UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations

Expenses the Employer is Legally Required to Pay:

• All MOHRE work permit application and approval fees.
• The electronic Entry Permit issuance and courier costs.
• Mandatory in-country medical fitness examinations (blood tests and chest X-rays).
• Emirates ID application and biometric card processing fees.
• Residence visa stamping and health insurance coverage.
• Air travel ticket to the UAE from your country of origin.

Rule of Thumb: If any agent, intermediary, or purported employer asks you to pay even 1 dirham (or 1 rupee / taka) for "visa issuance", "medical approval", or "security deposits", they are operating outside the law. Stop all communication immediately.

7. What to Do If You Paid Money or Shared Sensitive Documents

If you realize you have already sent money to an agent or shared your personal identification documents, act immediately to contain the damage:

1. Immediate Banking Intervention:

• Contact your bank, remittance house, or mobile payment provider (e.g., UPI, IMPS, Easypaisa, bKash) immediately.
• Inform their fraud prevention unit that you have been defrauded and request an emergency recall of the transaction or a freeze on the recipient account.
• File a formal cyber-fraud report with your local police and financial intelligence unit to obtain an official transaction dispute acknowledgment.

2. Preserve Digital Evidence:

• Do Not Delete Chats: Take complete, uncropped screenshots of all WhatsApp, Telegram, or email communications. Export the full chat transcript.
• Preserve Contact Records: Save phone numbers, email addresses, website links, social media handles, and names used by the recruiters.
• Keep Payment Records: Save all bank deposit slips, UPI transaction IDs, money transfer receipts, and payment confirmation screenshots.
• Save Counterfeit Files: Keep digital copies of the forged offer letters and counterfeit visa PDFs for criminal prosecution.

3. Protect Against Identity Theft:

• If you transmitted high-resolution color scans of your Passport, National ID, or educational certificates, fraudsters may attempt to use your identity to defraud other victims or register fraudulent accounts.
• Notify your national passport office and consular missions if you suspect your passport identity has been compromised.
• Never surrender your physical passport to anyone upon arrival in the UAE. Review our guide on How to Recover a Confiscated Passport in the Gulf.

8. Official UAE Complaint & Reporting Channels

Suspected recruitment fraud, fake corporate offers, and cyber scams operating within UAE jurisdiction should be reported through these verified official government channels:

• MOHRE Unified Call Center: Call 800 60 (toll-free within UAE; overseas callers: +971 6 802 7666) | Email: ask@mohre.gov.ae. Use this channel to report illegal recruitment agencies operating in the UAE mainland.
• MOHRE Labour Claims & Advisory Hotline: Call 800 84 for dedicated legal claims advisory and guidance in multiple languages.
• Dubai Police eCrime: File an online cybercrime and financial scam report through the official portal at dubaipolice.gov.ae or call non-emergency line 901.
• Abu Dhabi Police Aman Service: Report commercial fraud, identity theft, and extortion confidentially via toll-free 800 2626 or SMS 2828.
• Federal Public Prosecution: Report cybercrimes and financial scams directly via the UAE Federal Public Prosecution smart portal and mobile app using UAE Pass.

9. Consular & Home Country Helplines (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)

If the unauthorized agent or broker is operating within your home country, report them to your national overseas emigration bureau to initiate criminal prosecution and license revocation:

🇮🇳 For Indian Nationals:

• PBSK Dubai (Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra): Dedicated 24/7 welfare helpline for Indian workers in the UAE. Toll-free in UAE: 800 46342 (800 INDIA) | WhatsApp Helpline: +971 54 309 0571 | Email: pbsk.dubai@mea.gov.in.
• eMigrate Portal (Ministry of External Affairs): Visit emigrate.gov.in to verify whether an agency holds a valid MEA Registration Certificate (RC) and lodge complaints against unregistered sub-agents.
• MADAD Portal: Submit consular grievances at madad.gov.in and file an FIR with your local state police Protector of Emigrants (PoE) office.
• Indian Missions in UAE: Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi (+971 2 449 2700) and Consulate General of India, Dubai (+971 4 397 1222).

🇵🇰 For Pakistani Nationals:

• Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment (BEOE): Visit beoe.gov.pk to verify valid Overseas Employment Promoters (OEP) licenses and check registered foreign job demand permissions.
• FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Wing: Report fraudulent visa agents to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at helpline 111-342-111.
• Community Welfare Attaché (CWA): Access the welfare section at the Embassy of Pakistan, Abu Dhabi or Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai for consular assistance.

🇧🇩 For Bangladeshi Nationals:

• BMET (Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training): Access bmet.gov.bd to verify recruiting agency licenses (RL numbers) and ensure your overseas employment is registered with a BMET smart clearance card.
• Probashi Kallyan Desk: Submit grievances through the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment at probashi.gov.bd.
• Labour Welfare Wing: Contact the Labour Welfare Wings at the Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Bangladesh Consulate General in Dubai.

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

11. Find Help Now & Verified Official Sources

Official Verified Portals:

• UAE MOHRE Job Offer Inquiry Portal
• UAE MOHRE Central Inquiry Portal
• UAE National Economic Register (Growth Business Licensing Directory)
• UAE ICP Smart Services Visa File Validity Inquiry
• UAE GDRFA Dubai Visa Status Inquiry Service
• Dubai Police Official Portal & eCrime Reporting
• Government of India Ministry of External Affairs eMigrate Portal
• India Overseas Workers Resource Centre & PBSK
• Government of Pakistan Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment (BEOE)
• Government of Bangladesh Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET)

Last verified against official UAE government portals and embassy sources: October 2026. Migrant Help Finder is an independent non-commercial informational resource dedicated to migrant worker protection.