In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Police Station in North Delhi successfully apprehended two individuals involved in an online job scam that duped innocent job seekers. The accused, identified as Ritish Kumar (22) and Ajay Bhagel (26), were arrested after a comprehensive investigation following a complaint received through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
The complaint, lodged by a lady from Rohini, Delhi, narrated a distressing tale of falling victim to a fraudulent job offer as a Data Entry Operator. She had registered on job-seeking portals Shine.com and Quikr.com and was subsequently contacted by the alleged scammers through WhatsApp.
The accused, pretending to be offering a data entry job from the comfort of her home, coaxed her into transferring money for Registration Charges, Documentation Charges, GST, Security Fees, and Refundable Charges, totaling a hefty sum of Rs. 45,230/-.
The Cybercrime team, with the help of technology, was able to trace the location, and raids were conducted at a rented flat in Mangolpuri, Delhi, where the gang was operating. As a result, Ritish Kumar and Ajay Bhagel were arrested.
During the interrogation, it was discovered that Ajay Bhagel, a former Zomato Delivery Boy from Nangloi Extension, Delhi, had fallen into dire financial straits due to the pandemic-induced lockdown. He met other members of the gang, who lured unsuspecting job seekers into their web of deceit by offering lucrative online jobs. In desperate need of money, Ajay joined the gang and played a crucial role in facilitating the transactions by arranging bank accounts at fake addresses. For his involvement, he received 20% of the total amount deposited into these accounts.
The gang›s modus operandi involved exploiting the language skills of Ritish and Sourabh, who fluently conversed in English and impersonated HR managers of the fictitious company. Using these tactics, they continued to scam numerous individuals seeking jobs.
The police have seized crucial pieces of evidence during the arrests, including, three mobile phones, one ATM card, one passbook, one laptop, and three SIM cards, which will be instrumental in building a solid case against the accused.
