KOCHI: Despite several warnings by the authorities, hundreds continue to fall prey to job fraud in the city. In the latest in the series, a Palakkad native cheated several candidates in Kochi by giving fake offer letters after collecting `1,000 in agency fee from each.
The fraud was operated after opening an office space and appointing a young woman as staffer in Kochi. The office was rented out in the name of Praveen Kumar, a native of Tamil Nadu. The documents of Praveen Kumar such as his identity card were submitted for this, but the person introduced himself as a native of Palakkad. The fraud came to light after Manu, a resident of Kuttikattukara, approached the Ernakulam North police with a complaint.
Explaining the modus operandi, the police said the fraud was operated using the candidates themselves after collecting `1,000 from each of them. “The woman staffer first interviewed a few candidates. They were given offer letters for HR and office administration jobs after they paid the agency fee of `1,000 each. They were asked to call and interview more people over the phone after making them believe that the job was recruiting new people to the company. The candidates were given work-from-home option. The agency fee of `1,000 was paid online. The salary promised to each candidate was `18,000.”
The woman staffer was offered a higher post in the company but was not even paid the salary. It was only when the a police complaint was filed against her, she realised that she was also a victim of the fraud. The police have intensified the search for the Palakkad man.The email addresses given in the offer letters were found fake. An investigation is under way with the help of Cyber Cell. It is suspected that a similar fraud is being operated in Kozhikode, the police added.