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Bengaluru accountant paid Rs 4.3 lakh for dream US job, ended up jobless in Armenia
Promised a logistics job, the accountant landed in Yerevan, Armenia, to learn that no such job existed. Instead, he was offered low-paying construction work.
The victim said he was duped by a consultancy firm in Bengaluru's Rajajinagar. A representative allegedly assured him of a logistics position in the US and claimed that the firm would handle visa processing, travel, and accommodation. (Image generated using AI)
A Bengaluru-based accountant was allegedly cheated of over Rs 4.3 lakh by a visa consultancy firm that promised him a logistics job in the United States, only for him to end up stranded in a foreign country without employment, following which he was forced to arrange his own return to India.
In a case highlighting the rising incidence of overseas job fraud, the victim—a diploma holder with logistics experience—approached a consultancy firm in Rajajinagar in September 2025 in search of opportunities abroad, according to the police. A representative, identified as Mamatha Shankar, allegedly assured him of a logistics position in the US and claimed that the firm would handle visa processing, travel, and accommodation.
Acting on these assurances, he initially paid Rs 50,000 as an advance, followed by Rs 3 lakh via RTGS, the police said. He was later allegedly asked to pay an additional Rs 80,000 for flight arrangements, bringing the total to over Rs 4.3 lakh.
The firm subsequently provided him with travel documents, and in November 2025, he departed from Bengaluru, transiting through Hyderabad and Dubai before reaching Yerevan in Armenia, according to his complaint.
However, upon arrival, he was allegedly informed by another agent that no logistics job existed. Instead, he was offered low-paying construction work and was told to find employment on his own when he refused.
Stranded in an unfamiliar country without support, the victim struggled to arrange his return to India, incurring further expenses, the police said. Despite repeated attempts to contact the consultancy and seek a refund, he reportedly received no response.
After returning to India, he filed a complaint at the Vishwanathapura police station against Shankar and her associate Syed, accusing them of cheating.
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Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under sections 316(2) (breach of trust) and 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and have initiated an investigation.
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