An Indian-origin woman based in the UK has been accused of running an illegal visa racket that allegedly sold fake work permits to migrants for as much as £19,000. The scam came to light following an undercover investigation that exposed how social media platforms are being used to exploit loopholes in Britain’s immigration system.
The case centres on Komal Shinde, who reportedly operates Krishiv Consultancy Ltd. According to an investigation cited by the Daily Mail, Shinde allegedly offered fraudulent Skilled Worker visas backed by fabricated job offers, forged employment records and false payroll transactions, allowing migrants to enter or remain in the UK unlawfully.
How the alleged visa scam operated
Undercover reporters posing as visa applicants reportedly met Shinde, who claimed she herself was residing in the UK on a student visa. During the meeting, she allegedly said she could arrange Skilled Worker visas linked to jobs in care homes, warehouses and fast-food outlets across the country, despite having no official licence or authorisation to sponsor migrants.
Applicants were reportedly charged between £12,000 and £19,000 per visa. In several cases, migrants were allegedly told they would not actually need to perform the job for which they were sponsored. Instead, the sponsoring employer would deposit a monthly salary into the migrant’s bank account, which would then be returned in cash — a process investigators said was designed to create a fake paper trail to mislead the Home Office.
Shinde allegedly claimed she earned £1,000 per visa, with the remaining amount split among participating employers. She reportedly warned clients to keep the arrangement confidential to avoid detection by authorities.
Investigators also said Shinde offered to arrange Global Talent visas — typically reserved for individuals with exceptional achievements in areas such as science, technology and the arts — for fees of up to £30,000. She allegedly told applicants that certificates, experience letters and supporting documents could be fabricated and claimed multiple applications had already been approved using this method.
Home Office probe amid wider visa system concerns
The revelations come against the backdrop of growing concern within the UK government over abuse of the Skilled Worker visa route. A recent Commons report described “widespread” misuse of the system and warned that officials lacked accurate data on how many of the 1.2 million migrants who entered the UK through this pathway had overstayed or were working illegally.
The report further suggested that criminal operators had quickly adapted to bypass measures introduced under a government crackdown announced last year.
Following the investigation, the Home Office confirmed that it had launched inquiries into the alleged activities and warned that any violations would face the “full force of the law.”
Reacting to the case, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called the allegations “shocking,” accusing the government of having lost control of the immigration system and calling for urgent steps to strengthen border enforcement and oversight.
The case has once again raised questions about online visa fraud networks and the challenges authorities face in policing immigration scams that operate openly on social media platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.