Manoj was in the last semester of his B Tech, when campus placement camp was organized in college. Many big companies came and also some Start Ups were searching talent in this camp. But everyone tried to be selected in big companies.
Manoj also gave interviews in some big companies but could not be selected. Many of his friends were selected, that’s why he felt more depressed. At home everyone asked him, what happened, but Manoj was not telling anything to anybody.
Suddenly, he saw an Ad on social media, from HR company which was promising to get a job abroad.
Manoj decided that he will also apply for foreign job and will get better package from his friends. Manoj had good intentions but the jealousy within him made him so impatient that he inadvertently got into the fraud of a fraudulent HR consultancy. Manoj applied for the job online. It was an Assistant Engineer job in a gulf country and the package was three times the package offered to his friends.
Within two days, Manoj received a mail, that you have been shortlisted, come to this address tomorrow for documents verification at 10 o’clock. This address was from a residential area, but Manoj did not pay much attention to this because his eyes were on his target. Here 2000 rupees were also charged from him in the name of documents verification. On the same day, Manoj was given an interview letter, in which he was called at another address, three days later.
Manoj felt very good on reaching at the interview place, as it was a dazzling office built up on a floor of a multi-storied building. Manoj was seated in the reception area. There were some other candidates from different cities. Manoj had a 3 round interview and was told that when the entire interview is done, the result will be communicated to him by mail in the evening.
Manoj was very excited because he gave very good answers in the interview. He eagerly waited for the e-mail. Finally at 7 pm, he got a mail that your selection has been done and you have to transfer 2 lakh rupees for Visa, Emigration Clearance and Security, to xyz account by 5 pm the next day. If you fail to do this, then it will be assumed that you have not accepted the job, so this chance will be given to the next candidate.
Manoj was happy and jumped up in excitement. First of all, he told to his mother. Mother’s chest also widened with pride. She got up, went to the temple, made offerings and then distributed the offerings in the neighboring neighborhood and told everyone that Manoj has got a job abroad. Here Manoj too had excitedly told to several of his friends by messaging and calling about this great news.
When Manoj’s father came home at night, he was also given this good news. He also liked it very much, but as soon as he was told about 2 lakh rupees, doubts arose in his mind. He wanted that they should thoroughly investigate and then decide whether the money should be deposited.
Manoj was in his excitement and the news was told to so many people that now had become a prestige issue too. His mother was also in the same situation. She too has raised her collar among the neighbors.
Time given was also not sufficient to make any inquiries. If the money is not transferred till 5 o’clock the next day, all the dreams will be destroyed. Manoj’s father, under so much pressure, could not convince them and next day he transferred the amount. On receipt of payment, Manoj got confirmation message that it will take 15-20 days to process and in the meantime police verification will also be done. Until police verification is done, do not discuss about it with anyone else, or because of the envy of a neighbor, if a neighbor has said something adverse, then the report can be negative.
It sound logical. They waited silently. When there was no communication even for two months, there was panic. When they went to the nearest police station, they were told that no such request for verification was received for this name.
When they tried at the address on which the documents were checked, there lived some students who were staying for a long time.
When they searched at the address of interview, it was a co-working space where the staff of many companies sit. There too Manoj could not find the people who had taken his interview. Now only he noticed that there is no board of any company here. Probably it was not there even before, but then Manoj’s focus was elsewhere.
By this time, Manoj and his parents has understood that the fraud had happened to them.
They went to the police station and reported the case. The police officer told them that this type of fraud are happening to many youth and many complaints have come to them.
Manoj’s father realized that it is his fault to deposit the money without investigation. When the police also have many similar complaints, they may have to wait for a long time.
Manoj was getting depressed due to guilt and fear. His father takes him to introduce him to a friend who is an advocate and deals with Cyber Crime cases.
Advocate Uncle tells Manoj, how youth are cheated in the name of Online Job Offers.
Who are the target for these fraudsters?
What is their Modus Operandi (how they operate)?
How can we identify them?
And how to avoid them?
In our country, where unemployment is increasing, there is a competition among the youth to get a good package. Scammers take advantage of this crazy attitude. Job scams are also increasing in online frauds. Our youth must have cyber awareness along with their domain skills so as to avoid such frauds.
It is very easy for Fake Job scammers to get the data of youth.
They can get data of job seekers by subscribing on job portals.
In the name of placement, they get data of Final year students from any college.
On social media, advertise job vacancies and collect data.
Then by using this data, they connect via mail, message or call. They trap and ask for money from them sometimes in the name of document verification, sometimes registration fees and sometimes training material.
Small scammers will disappear with your money at this stage, because the risk is less here. They know that for 1000 – 2000, no one wants to get involved in complaints.
The scammers who are more intelligent will schedule your interview by mailing or calling you, and then will demand a huge amount in the name of security.
Usually the people who are on the target of these scammers include.
Youth in age group of 20 to 30, who are desperately looking for a job.
Fresh college pass outs from tier 2 – 3 cities.
Candidates whose domain skills are not so good.
Those candidates whose communication skills are not so good.
If you are a job seeker, then definitely you will have to apply online only, but you should be careful that,
Whenever you want to apply in an organization, do so by visiting its official website only.
Do not visit the website from any link sent in a mail or message. This can be a phishing site.
If an organization engages a third party for recruitment, then take the full address and web address of this third party from the same official website.
Whenever you get any mail regarding job, check that it is from official mail id.
Official mail id looks like xxxx @ companywebsite
Confirm name and address of the sender of mail either from website or by calling at given landline phone.
If you put your resume on a job portal, put it for a specific post only
Beware!! You should be alert if something like this happens
If you see too many spelling or grammatical mistakes on a website, mail or advertisement you are watching.
Money is being demanded from you for any reason related to job.
You are being called at an address that is not a registered office of the company.
You are being offered more salary than expected.
The selection process seems easier than necessary or direct selection is being offered without a personal interview
If the post offered to you is not in a match with your qualification
If you want to apply for a job abroad then do it only from the Government Portal or website of the Embassy.
Just as, it is our responsibility to protect ourselves from the negligence of others along with following the traffic rules to walk safely on the road, similarly to build a good career, it is our responsibility to improve skills we have and also to protect ourselves from frauds.
Thank you
