TrekTrendy’, a luxury travel reviewer with nearly one million YouTube subscribers, took to social media to reveal an alarming flaw in VFS Global’s data security.
Davis recounted on his platform, “Some of you may remember the Sri Lanka visa saga a few weeks ago. Well, whilst mine has long been approved, each day I’ve been getting other tourists’ visas emailed to me complete with full names, addresses, and passport info. How is this a thing?!” He explained his efforts to contact the company to halt these breaches, but to no avail.
This disclosure from Davis has raised serious questions about the security measures at VFS Global, highlighting how sensitive personal information of countless visa applicants is being mishandled and inadvertently shared. The incident not only threatens the privacy of individuals but also casts a long shadow over the reliability and trustworthiness of VFS Global’s operations.
VFS Global recently issued a confident statement amid the escalating controversy, boasting about its robust data security capabilities as it handles highly sensitive and private client details. The company VFS Global declared, “Data security is fully embedded in the design and functioning of its processes. The company fully adheres to the highest international standards, such as ISO 27001:2013, UK Cyber Essentials Plus, Spain National Cybersecurity Framework, Germany IT Grundschutz, etc. VFS Global has robust systems and controls in place and complies with various data localization, privacy, and data protection laws, including GDPR. VFS Global is also certified under ISO/IEC 27701:2019, an extension to ISO 27001 by TUV SUD, showing its adherence to the requirements and guidelines for a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS), and its responsibilities as a PII processor, in compliance with European GDPR.”
Despite these assurances, the YouTuber publicly ridiculed and exposed the discrepancies in VFS Global’s self-proclaimed commitment to customer privacy, highlighting a significant gap between their claims and actual practices.
Due to Minister Alles’ decisions, it seems that both your privacy and mine are at risk, given VFS Global’s demonstrated history of vulnerabilities in their supposed data protection system.
Tiran Alles, the appointed Government Minister responsible for public security, finds himself at the center of controversy due to his decision to outsource the visa processing for all incoming tourists to Sri Lanka. This decision has sparked widespread frustration among tourists and Sri Lankans alike, drawing comparisons to the infamous 2015 Bond Scam which involved the current President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, during his tenure as Prime Minister. Just as the Bond Scam shook the nation in 2015, this new debacle has been dubbed the Visa Scam, occurring just months before a crucial government election.
Critics argue that the visa operations could have been managed internally rather than outsourcing them, which has led to increased fees. By handing over the responsibilities to a third party and foreign entity, tourists are now being charged nearly US$ 21 in service fees and other charges. The 12-year contract awarded to VFS Global is expected to generate millions in US dollars and billions in Sri Lankan rupees, with allegations swirling that those involved in the deal have received substantial kickbacks, securing financial stability for many generations to come.
As elections loom later this year, Government Ministers are rapidly submitting cabinet papers for various solicited and unsolicited tenders, as if it were going out of style. It’s widely recognized that this flurry of activity is driven by the fear of losing their positions in the upcoming elections.
In fact, this situation has become a stark reality under President Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose approval ratings have plummeted rapidly, partly due to the recent debacle involving a UK tourist named Diana Gamage. Until just 48 hours ago, Gamage virtually an imposter in President Wickemesinghe’s Government held the post of State Minister of Tourism, before a Supreme Court ruling abruptly ousted her from Parliament.
