The name of an Auckland-based ethnic supermarket chain is being used to target Nepalese nationals in a fake job offer scam.

The Nepalese consultate office in Auckland has issued a warning on Facebook, urging the community to not be fooled if they receive job offers from someone purportedly to be from Lotus Supermarket.

Recipients in Nepal are being asked to pay a fee to secure work visas and jobs that could potentially lead to residence in New Zealand.

Jason Perry, national manager investigations at Immigration New Zealand, says the agency has been made aware of a scam using the name of Lotus Supermarket.

The chain, which has outlets in Manukau and Mount Roskill specialises in grocery products from India, Fiji, Sri Lanka, South East Asia and the Middle East.

It has denied any involvement with the job offers and says it has only just learned of the scam.

“Although we have not received any recent complaints or claims, we urge anyone who is a victim of a visa scam to report it to their local law enforcement agencies in their country of residence, or the country where the scam occurred,” says Perry.

“They can also copy information to NZ Crimestoppers however, if the scam occurred offshore, it is unlikely to be investigated by INZ due to jurisdictional limitations.”

Perry strongly urges the management of Lotus Supermarket and any New Zealand employer or entity affected by an immigration scam to report it to police.

“Anybody seeking to work in New Zealand needs to be very careful that they are not being tricked out of their money and falsely offered jobs,” he says.

“We advise people to protect themselves by checking with the companies involved, to ensure any offers are genuine before handing over any money.”

Lotus Supermarket manager Mathew John says the company learned of the scam on Wednesday.

“We have contacted and informed the Nepalese consulate, as well as Immigration New Zealand,” John says.

Dinesh Khadka, Nepalese Honorary Consul to New Zealand. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

Last year, hundreds of Nepalese paid up to $30,000 to agents who falsely promised high-paying jobs and residency.

The latest scam is described as “another work visa scam in New Zealand” by the consulate in its Facebook warning.

“A new work visa scam is targeting individuals in New Zealand. Scammers are promising false job opportunities and visa approvals in exchange for money,” it says.

It urges people to stay vigilant and protect themselves by verifying employers and agencies through official channels, avoid paying large sums up front and report suspicious activities.

Nepalese Honorary Consul to New Zealand Dinesh Khadka says he has received queries but is unaware of the number of people who have been scammed.

“Last year we had hundreds of our people who became victims of these scams where they paid $20,000 to $30,000 for non-existent job offers and ending up working in slave labour conditions here,” Khadka says.

“We don’t want to see a repeat of that.”

He says the scammers are targeting people in Nepal who desperately want to move overseas to find opportunities to support their families and seek better lives.

Khadka says up to 500 people had fallen victims to the scam last year, and only a few managed to find work after getting Migrant Exploitation Protection Visas.

Perry says it's common practice for licensed immigration advisers or lawyers to charge a fee for their services, but this is entirely different to prospective employees paying employers to secure a job.

“People seeking to work in New Zealand should be aware that INZ will decline an application for a work visa where we consider that the employment was offered as a result of payment made by the applicant, or their agent to the employer in exchange for securing that offer of employment,” he says.

“It is encouraged to try and resolve the issue directly through their licensed immigration adviser’s own complaints process, or alternatively they can make a complaint to the Immigration Advisers Authority.”

Further advice on what to do if you think you have been the victim of a scam, can be found on: Scams and fraud | CERT NZ and Online scams | New Zealand Police.

-NZ Herald.