Engineering graduate joins telegram group to find new job, loses Rs 20 lakh
The victim, who had been searching for a job, joined a Telegram channel on the recommendation of his friend.
In Short
- An engineering graduate from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, was a victim of a cyber scam and lost Rs 20 lakh.
- He joined a Telegram group to look out for job opportunity.
- In the group, a person offered him a job but first asked him to pay money as a fee.
In yet another case of cyber fraud, an engineering graduate from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh fell prey to scammers and lost Rs 20 lakh. The victim was searching for a job after completing his engineering degree. During his job hunt, he joined a Telegram group that promised to help him get a job through connections.
The victim, identified as K Harshavardhan, a software job seeker from Vijayawada, recently completed his engineering course. To get a lead for employment, he joined a Telegram group called "Developer Professionals" on the recommendation of his friend Krishna Chaitanya Reddy. The group allegedly provided software jobs to the youth in search of employment.
One day, while scrolling through posts in the group, Harshavardhan approached the job sharer who appeared to be the scammer.During the conversation, the scammer offered to give him a job at LTI Mindtree Limited in Bengaluru for a fee of Rs 20 lakh. Eager to secure a job, Harshavardhan deposited the money in a phased manner in July and early August. However, when he approached LTI Mindtree to collect his appointment letter, he realized that he had been duped. Later, he reported the incident to the police and filed an FIR.
"Trusting their words, the victim deposited the amount in a phased manner in July and August to them. The victim realised that he was duped by scammers when he approached LTI Mindtree in Bengaluru and sought an appointment letter," the police revealed.
How to stay safe
Notably, job scams are not new. Many job seekers have lost money in the last few months after being tricked by scammers. It is essential to be cautious when searching for employment opportunities, especially online. Here are some tips to help you stay safe from job scams:
- Research the company. Always thoroughly research the company offering the job. Check their official website, contact information, and online presence. Scammers often create fake websites and profiles to appear legitimate.
- Beware of unrealistic offers. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers may promise high salaries, incredible benefits, or quick promotions to lure victims.
- Avoid paying for a job. Legitimate employers do not ask job seekers to pay a fee upfront for a job. If a company requests payment for job placement, training, or other services, it's a red flag.
- Use official job portals. Stick to reputable job search websites and portals where employers are verified before posting jobs. Be cautious when using social media groups and messaging apps for job searches.
- Do not share personal or financial information. Avoid sharing sensitive personal and financial information, such as your bank account details, Aadhar card number, or passport information, with potential employers until you have confirmed their legitimacy.