How aspiring migrants to foreign countries are getting duped in Tehran

Recently, three such cases have come to light in which a family and several individuals have been kidnapped in Tehran for ransom.

How do kidnappers establish contact with victims?

Victims are usually contacted by agents either directly or through intermediaries, often via social media, who promise an easy path to foreign countries. They are told that the entire process, including flight tickets, visa, and work permits, will be arranged for a nominal upfront fee.

Agents often promise that the full payment can be made after reaching the destination country, with amounts ranging from Rs 18 to Rs 26 lakh per person. Once the victims agree and provide a small initial amount, or even without providing any money, they are instructed to travel to a third country, like Iran, under the guise of continuing their journey to their dream destination.

What happens once victims reach the third destination?


Upon arrival in Tehran, the victims are told that their flight to the destination country is delayed. They are then taken to remote locations by local agents or criminals posing as immigration facilitators.

At this point, the victims are often isolated and their belongings — including phones and passports — are seized. They are transported to secret locations, typically in rural areas, where they are held hostage, tortured, and subjected to inhumane conditions for weeks.

What do the kidnappers demand?


The kidnappers, often linked to criminal syndicates from India and Pakistan, demand ransoms, which can range from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore. The victims’ families back home are contacted and shown distressing videos of their loved ones being physically tortured to coerce them into paying. These families are forced to pay huge ransoms, and even families are selling land, borrowing money, and liquidating valuables, such as gold jewellery, to meet the ransom demands.

In an incident, a family from Rahon in Punjab’s Nawanshahr district was promised immigration to Canada for Rs 26 lakh, payable upon arrival. However, once they landed in Tehran, they were kidnapped and tortured. After enduring several days of physical abuse and threats, they were forced to pay Rs 80 lakh, including gold jewellery, before being released. The family members sold their small piece of land and borrowed a huge amount of money from relatives to pay the ransom.

The victims were left stranded after their release at an airport in Tehran. They missed their flight and had to spend additional money to return home.

In another case, Rs 54 lakhs was charged from three youths for sending them to Australia and then kidnapped in Tehran for more ransom.

How can people protect themselves from falling victim to such schemes?


Aspiring migrants should be cautious of any agent who promises quick, low-cost migration, especially if the process seems too good to be true. Legitimate immigration processes often require thorough documentation and background checks, which cannot be bypassed.

Individuals should research agents thoroughly, seek recommendations, and avoid making any payments without clear, verified contracts. Additionally, raising awareness about these scams is crucial, and anyone who suspects they or someone they know might be a victim should report it to authorities immediately, said Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat MP Malvinder Singh Kang, who took up the Rahon family’s case with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Also, aspiring migrants should not fly to any third country.

Indian embassies in such countries where such incidents take place must raise the matter with the concerned officials there to tighten the noose against these schemes.

“These terrifying stories highlight the dangers of seeking shortcuts to a better life abroad. As this new trend continues to devastate families, it serves as a chilling reminder that what seems like an opportunity for a brighter future may instead lead to a nightmare,” said Rajya Sabha MP Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, who also received one such case recently.