Nepal (NP)
Nepal is a landlocked Himalayan nation between India and China, home to eight of the world's ten highest peaks including Mount Everest (8,849m).
Scam Warnings
Common scams targeting expats in Nepal.
Always use the official Nepal immigration portal (immigration.gov.np) for any visa application — never pay a third-party site. If you go trekking, call your insurer's emergency line yourself rather than following a guide's recommendation; Nepal's fake helicopter rescue fraud has cost insurers nearly USD 20 million and you may be pressured into an unnecessary evacuation. Verify every job offer and volunteer placement through the company's own registered address before paying any fee.
Fake visa and immigration websites
criticalWebsites that closely imitate Nepal's official immigration portal overcharge for visa applications, steal personal data, or take payment and deliver nothing. These sites appear at the top of search results as sponsored advertisements. The only legitimate portal for Nepal visa on arrival and tourist extensions is immigration.gov.np.
- - URL is not immigration.gov.np or a verified sub-domain of nepalpolice.gov.np
- - Site charges a "service fee" or "processing fee" on top of the official government visa fee
- - Only WhatsApp or email support is available, with no physical office address
- - Urgent language about visa quotas, processing delays or special "fast-track" options
- - Payment requested via mobile wallet or personal bank account rather than a government payment gateway
Trek rescue and helicopter evacuation fraud
criticalThis is one of the most serious and well-documented scams in Nepal. An organised network involving trekking guides, hospitals and helicopter operators inflates or fabricates rescue cases to claim insurance payouts. In a 2026 investigation, 32 people were charged under organised crime laws after authorities confirmed nearly USD 20 million in fraudulent insurance claims between 2022 and 2025. Tactics include guides vaguely describing altitude symptoms, directing trekkers to specific clinics, and pressuring foreigners into helicopter evacuations when they are not medically necessary.
- - Your guide strongly recommends a specific hospital or helicopter company, especially one far from the nearest facility
- - Symptoms are described to you as more serious than you feel, particularly at altitude
- - Guide or operator asks for your travel insurance details early in the trek
- - You are directed to a private clinic rather than the nearest government health post
- - Pressure to board a helicopter is applied before you have spoken to your insurer
Tourist visa and work-on-arrival promise
criticalAn employer, NGO or agent claims you can begin working in Nepal on a tourist visa while a work permit or work visa is arranged later. This is unlawful. Nepal requires a valid work permit from the Department of Labour and Occupational Safety and a work visa before employment begins. Employers who retain your passport as "security" are committing a separate violation.
- - Employer or agent says work can begin on tourist status "temporarily"
- - No written work permit reference number or Department of Labour approval letter is provided
- - Salary offered in cash only, with no employment contract
- - Employer asks to hold your passport "for processing" purposes
- - No line-agency approval document is referenced for the employer's sector
Rental deposit scam
warningA remote landlord advertises an apartment in Kathmandu, Pokhara or Thamel at below-market rent. They request a deposit transfer before you can view the property. The landlord may impersonate a real property owner using copied photos from legitimate listings.
- - Rent is significantly below comparable properties in the same neighbourhood
- - Landlord refuses a live or video viewing, citing being abroad or busy
- - Payment requested to a personal eSewa, Khalti or Fonepay account before any lease is signed
- - No tenancy agreement or receipt offered before payment
- - Landlord contact is limited to WhatsApp with no verifiable local phone number
eSewa / Khalti OTP and payment phishing
warningScammers impersonate eSewa, Khalti or bank staff by phone or SMS, claiming a payment error or account verification is needed. They ask for the OTP sent to your phone. Once shared, your digital wallet is cleared. Fake QR codes placed over genuine ones at shops also redirect payments to scammers.
- - Caller or message asks for an OTP, PIN or "confirmation code" — eSewa and Khalti never request these
- - A screenshot of an incoming payment is sent to you as "proof" before it has appeared in your app
- - Short URLs in SMS messages redirect to pages mimicking official wallet login screens
- - QR code at a merchant counter looks like it has been stuck over the original sticker
- - Urgency: wallet will be suspended unless you verify immediately
Fake NGO and volunteer placement scam
warningOrganisations charge high placement fees for volunteering at orphanages, schools or remote community projects with poor safeguarding standards. "Orphanage tourism" — where children are separated from families to attract volunteers and donations — has been documented in Nepal. Legitimate NGOs registered with the Social Welfare Council do not rely on unqualified foreign volunteers for core child-care roles.
- - Organisation is not registered with the Social Welfare Council (swc.org.np) or charges a fee without a registration number
- - Volunteer role involves direct and unsupervised contact with children from the first day
- - Photos of children are prominently used in fundraising without any visible child-protection policy
- - High upfront placement fee paid overseas before any Nepal-side verification
- - Organisation discourages you from visiting or contacting families of the children
Taxi and ride overcharging at tourist zones
infoUnmetered taxis at Tribhuvan International Airport, Thamel, Patan and Pokhara tourist areas routinely charge foreigners multiples of the correct fare. Drivers claim the meter is broken or quote an inflated flat rate. Unofficial "helpers" at the airport redirect passengers to more expensive transport options.
- - Driver does not start the meter or claims it is out of order
- - Fare quoted significantly exceeds what a ride-hailing app shows for the same route
- - Price increases once you are in the vehicle and approaching your destination
- - Unofficial individuals approach you inside the arrivals hall offering to arrange transport
Counterfeit trekking and outdoor gear
infoThamel market in Kathmandu and similar tourist shopping areas sell counterfeit versions of major outdoor brands — down jackets, sleeping bags, boots and waterproof layers — that look convincing but fail in cold, wet or exposed conditions. Counterfeit gear can create a genuine safety risk on high-altitude treks.
- - Price is 70–90% lower than the brand's recommended retail price
- - Stitching, zips, seams and fabric texture are inconsistent with genuine gear
- - No genuine brand swing-tags, serial numbers or QR codes that verify on the brand's website
- - Seller is unable to provide a brand authorisation certificate
- - Item weight is noticeably heavier or lighter than the genuine specification
Reporting
Where to report: Nepal Police Cyber Bureau — cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np, email cyberbureau@nepalpolice.gov.np, phone +977 9851286770 or +977-01-5319044 — for online fraud and cybercrime. Nepal Police emergency: 100. Nepal Tourism Board complaint line: 1136 for tourist-related fraud including taxi and trekking scams. Department of Immigration (immigration.gov.np) for visa-related fraud.
Consumer helpline: Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection (DoCSCP) — doc.gov.np — for consumer fraud and market complaints; free to contact. Nepal Rastra Bank (nrb.org.np) for banking and digital payment disputes. eSewa helpline: 01-5970121 (free); Khalti helpline: 01-5970017 (free).