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Islamabad: European Union (EU) diplomatic missions in Islamabad have issued warnings about fraudulent entries on Google Maps that falsely represent EU member state embassies. These deceptive listings provide incorrect information regarding visa and consular services, including fake telephone numbers, potentially leading to scams perpetrated by criminal organizations.
📣 EU diplomatic missions in Islamabad have observed fake entries for Member States embassies in Google Maps, with misleading information about visa and consular appointments, including fake telephone numbers.
This is a serious scam by criminal organizations.
🧵 1/2 @RKionka pic.twitter.com/hY1mkMPIt0— EUPakistan (@EUPakistan) December 27, 2024
These occurrences are indicative of a more extensive pattern of visa-related fraud in Pakistan. In 2012, the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Islamabad referred to Pakistan as a “global leader in visa forgery,” citing thousands of instances of fraudulent documentation. In recent years, there has been a growing concern regarding visa racketeering and fraud, which has led to the demand for more stringent measures to combat these illegal activities.
To protect against such schemes, the EU embassies in Islamabad advise that individuals who need visa and consular services should exclusively rely on the official websites of the embassy and verified contact information. The public is also encouraged to report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities to prevent the proliferation of fraudulent schemes.
These warnings emphasize the necessity of exercising caution when obtaining consular services and emphasize the significance of verifying information through official channels to prevent falling prey to schemes perpetrated by criminal organizations.
