Kathmandu. The number of Nepalese going abroad for work is increasing. Various companies have been established to send migrants for work. However, it is important to be aware of them as many agencies have been held accountable for fraudulent advertisements and practices, that have promised to send people to Germany, Malta, Portugal, other European countries, and even the United States of America.

A large number of ordinary Nepalese have been influenced through Facebook pages formed by manpower agencies, announcing demands for workers in big companies, across Europe and the Middle East. One of those agencies is Moonlight Overseas, which has an office at Harihar Bhawan in Lalitpur led by owner Parvati Khadka, that has been sent a 24-hour notice letter on Wednesday. The letter was sent on the basis of information received of the agency extorting of millions from their clients.

The Department of Foreign Employment under the Ministry of Labor raided the company’s office on Wednesday, and sealed all of their documents. According to the law, Khadka has to avail the reasons for collecting large sums of money to send a person abroad, and her inability to do so within 24 hours. She did not appear before the department till Thursday.

According to Kumar Dahal, the Director General of the Department, the company has been ordered not to partake in any more foreign employment transactions based on the complaints of the victims. He added that the fraud is being investigated further. Several news sources add that 300 passports have been found in the possession of the company. It was raided after it was found that millions of rupees had been extorted from people for the year 2077 B.S., by showing a demand letter issued three years earlier in the year 2074 BS.