Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh — What appeared to be a standard call centre training program for unemployed youth in Bareilly was, in reality, a front for organised fraud. Police on Monday arrested Ravi Kumar, accused of running a fake airline recruitment company where trainees were being prepared not for jobs, but for scams.
According to investigators, Kumar set up a makeshift call centre, offering training under the guise of job placements with a reputed airline. Instead, recruits were taught techniques to pressure victims into sharing bank details, depositing money for fictitious jobs, and transferring funds to controlled accounts.
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The operation was exposed when several trainees, after completing their “training,” demanded their wages. Their refusal to receive payment led them to realize they had been deceived themselves. Complaints were filed with the Baradari police, resulting in Kumar’s arrest.
Authorities say Kumar posed as a senior executive of an international airline, convincing recruits that successful training would guarantee high-paying positions. Instead, they were unknowingly participating in schemes to defraud job seekers and bank customers.
“Such scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated,” said cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Professor Triveni Singh. “Fraudsters exploit not just victims but also desperate job seekers, using them as tools in larger financial crimes. This dual-layer deception makes it harder for law enforcement and amplifies the social damage.”
Police are now probing whether Kumar’s operations were linked to wider cybercrime syndicates across Uttar Pradesh and beyond. Officials have also urged job seekers to exercise caution, verifying company credentials before paying training fees or signing contracts.