The migration journey of Bangladeshi workers is increasingly mediated through informal networks that expose prospective migrants to misinformation, deception, and exploitation.
Despite rising reliance on online recruitment and remittance systems, little is known about how misleading information propagates across the migration lifecycle.
Building on recent evidence of digital recruitment scams and pervasive “free-visa” schemes, this study investigates how misinformation is produced and circulated, which actors exploit digital and interpersonal channels, and which digital-literacy deficits most strongly mediate harm.
This study contributes to migration scholarship by conceptualising a stage-based framework that links digital deception to tangible migrant harms.
Importantly, findings will inform policy and practice: strengthening digital literacy curricula, verification mechanisms, and harmonising regulatory oversight across recruitment pipelines can mitigate the harms documented.
Finally, the research calls for rigorous evaluations of digital-literacy interventions and cross-sector collaborations to foster safer migration pathways.
