The news of Laiba Ijaz’s death stayed with me. As the CEO of an education consultancy, I have spent nearly a decade meeting students who hope to study abroad and families prepared to make considerable sacrifices to help them. Her case is a painful reminder of what is at stake when that hope is exploited.

Laiba was a graduate and gold medalist of the International Islamic University Islamabad. According to news reports, she and her family were allegedly defrauded of millions of rupees by people promising admission to Harvard University and assistance with a US visa. The investigation is ongoing, and the facts must be established through due process. Even so, the case raises urgent questions about how we protect students and their families from education scams.

This takes me back to Ali*, a promising student of my 2023 batch of undergraduate applicants, who had appeared at my office with a somewhat similar situation. Fixated at a top tier university and without due diligence, he had paid an individual a handsome amount of Rs3million in the name of service charges, as they were connivingly convincing with their words of a better future for Ali. In return, his counselor drafted a fake rejection letter so that Ali would enroll in a commissionable university. When he approached me in utter distress, my team and I investigated his rejection letter as it looked suspicious and was missing key details. I urged him to get in touch with the university via email to verify the authenticity of the rejection letter. Upon reaching out to the university he found out that no application under his name had been submitted, and Ali was scammed into paying a hefty amount guaranteeing him a spot at his dream destination.

Given Pakistan’s economic challenges, I understand why so many students want to study overseas. They hope for stronger qualifications and better career opportunities. For their families, that decision can mean years of saving and difficult financial choices. It also makes them vulnerable to anyone offering a shortcut.

I believe those of us working in international education have a responsibility to speak openly about fraud. I do not want families to lose faith in studying abroad. I want them to understand what a genuine consultant can do, what no consultant can promise, and how to tell the difference.

No one can guarantee admission or a visa

In spring of 2025, Areeba* and her family came to my office after another agency had promised their daughter admission to a leading Canadian university along with a full scholarship. They told me they had been asked to pay Rs6 million upfront in cash to secure the offer. When I reviewed the student’s academic record against the university’s published entry requirements, I could not see how that promise could be justified.

I advised the family to verify the requirements directly with the university and not to pay on the basis of a verbal guarantee. It is never easy to tell parents that an opportunity they are excited about may not be realistic. But I would rather give them an honest assessment than see them risk their savings on an assurance nobody can make.

One of the clearest warning signs is a promise of guaranteed admission, a full scholarship or visa approval. A private consultant does not make university admission decisions, and cannot control a foreign government’s visa decision. Those decisions belong to the university and the relevant authorities.

A legitimate consultant can assess a student’s profile, identify suitable institutions, explain application requirements, help prepare documents and discuss funding options. They should also be honest about the possibility of rejection. Anyone claiming special influence over a visa officer or the power to guarantee an outcome should be treated with caution.

When money and urgency become red flags

In my experience, urgency is one of the most effective pressure tactics. A family may be told that a university portal closes that night, that a seat will disappear unless a deposit is paid immediately, or that an agent has a private contact who can secure a visa. These claims should prompt questions, not hurried payments.

I reviewed another case in which a counsellor had asked a student to pay an additional amount, on top of the US visa application fee, with the promise of securing an earlier interview appointment. I explained that a consultant cannot guarantee a quicker date or claim special influence over the embassy’s appointment system. Families should use official scheduling channels and be wary of anyone selling guaranteed access.

I would also be cautious when tuition, visa fees and a consultant’s charges are combined into one unclear bill. Families should request a written breakdown and retain contracts, invoices, receipts and messages.

There are a few basic checks everyone can make:

• Verify the offer directly. Use the university’s official website or contact its admissions office through contact details found independently.

• Check the funding. Confirm scholarship eligibility, conditions and value with the university. A scholarship should not be accepted as genuine simply because it appears in a PDF or message.

• Pay through official channels. University tuition and official application charges should be paid through the institution’s stated payment process. Visa fees should be paid through the relevant government platform or its officially designated payment partner.

• Separate the consultant’s fee. The consultant’s service charge should be clearly stated in a written agreement, supported by a formal invoice and traceable receipt.

• Be wary of guarantees and pressure. Claims of guaranteed admission, a guaranteed visa, secret contacts or a demand for immediate cash are reasons to pause and verify.

A verification system is needed

I do not believe we can leave the entire burden on families. Many parents have little experience with overseas admissions or visa procedures, and an impressive office or website is no guarantee of credibility. Pakistan needs a public, searchable system that allows families to check a consultancy’s legal registration, contact details and claimed university relationships.

I would like the relevant authorities to develop a consultant-verification portal with a clear complaints process. Each complaint should receive a reference number and be directed to the appropriate body. Suspected criminal fraud should reach law enforcement, while service disputes should be handled through the appropriate consumer-protection channels. A portal would not eliminate fraud, but it could give families a reliable starting point.

Universities also have a role to play. They should make it easy for applicants to verify offer letters and confirm whether an agency is an authorized representative. Schools and colleges should include basic study-abroad fraud awareness in career guidance and pre-departure sessions. Students should learn to check documents and payment requests before they are under pressure to act.

A student’s worth is not decided by a visa

I also think we must avoid reducing Laiba’s death to a single explanation while the investigation continues. We cannot know everything she experienced. What we do know is that financial fraud can cause serious distress, especially when students feel responsible for their families’ sacrifices.

I worry that we increasingly treat studying abroad as proof of success and a visa refusal as failure. That is an unfair burden on young people. An admission letter from a prestigious university does not determine a student’s worth, and rejection does not erase their abilities or prospects.

I would urge families to speak openly about setbacks. If an application fails or an offer turns out to be fraudulent, the student should not be left to shoulder the blame. Responsibility belongs to those who deceive, and anyone struggling with the emotional impact deserves support.

What must happen next

I want the authorities to investigate Laiba Ijaz’s case thoroughly, establish the facts and take action wherever the evidence supports it. I also want policymakers to build a reliable consultant-verification system, universities to make offers easier to authenticate, and education consultants to be transparent about their services and fees.

Before signing a contract or transferring money, every family should remember four checks: verify the offer, verify the funding, verify the person and verify the payment. Contact the university directly if anything is unclear. A genuine opportunity should withstand independent verification.

I work in this profession because I believe international education can open doors and change lives. But families deserve honest guidance, not promises that no consultant has the authority to make. Laiba Ijaz’s case should lead to more than expressions of sadness. I hope it leads to practical safeguards that allow students to pursue their ambitions without being exposed to those who exploit them.

(All student names have been changed to protect identity)
Note: The art used in the header image shows a subtly altered Harvard University shield. Can you spot the difference?