7 held for duping over 1,000 people with fake job offers in Gulf countries

Special Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav said the accused contacted the victims through phone calls and emails, feigning they were from reputed companies in Dubai. Most of these victims hailed from Kerala, said the police.

Explaining the modus operandi of the accused, officers said the victims used to get phone calls and emails from the tele-calling facility of the fake companies.

“These companies claimed to be working on behalf of a registered agent of genuine companies in the Gulf, such as a construction firm in Dubai which deals in employment in Dubai and the Gulf. Agents conveyed to victims through phones and emails that the company selected them for the jobs in Gulf countries based on their profile on a job website,” the officer said. 

The police said they obtained information from Google, YouTube, Facebook, Telegram, online money wallets and other social media platforms. After analysing the vast data, a company called Life Long Travels was identified. An accused named Inamul Haque was eventually traced to Zakir Nagar.

During interrogation, he said he lured local unemployed people and created bank accounts in their names. He said he created a fictitious overseas travel company in their name and made them sit in a front office he hired.

“He advertised this on social media about providing consultation for arranging work permits in Gulf countries and Malaysia, and collected around Rs 60,000 from each aspirant on the pretext of visa services, medical and visa fees,” the officer said.