Chandigarh man falls prey to ad promising IELTS certificate without exam, cheated of Rs 3.50 lakh

In August 2023, Prabhav made the first online payment. The fraudsters allegedly demanded additional funds, citing various reasons such as processing fees, examination charges, and syllabus fees. In total, he transferred Rs 3.50 lakh to various accounts, all through online transactions, he told the police.

Prabhav said that when he realised he was a victim of fraud, he refused to make further payments. The phone number in the ad was switched off. Prabhav then reported the incident to the police, who lodged an FIR on Friday. Sources said that he had failed to clear the IELTS.

“People should exercise caution regarding such advertisements. It is advisable to physically meet individuals or visit their offices. In this case, the victim provided us with a transaction history detailing the movement of money from his account to others. The phone number in the advertisement was traced back to fake documents. The investigation is ongoing,” a police officer said.

The IELTS is an internationally recognised standardised test for English language proficiency, necessary for non-native speakers to secure visas for English-speaking countries.