A major overseas employment fraud has surfaced in eastern Uttar Pradesh after dozens of unemployed youths alleged that they were cheated out of lakhs of rupees by agents promising jobs in Malaysia and other foreign countries. According to the complaint, nearly 34 youths from Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Mau and parts of Bihar were allegedly given fake visas and forged air tickets after paying substantial amounts to a placement agency operating in the Gulriha police station area of Gorakhpur. The accused agents have allegedly shut down their office and disappeared following the incident.
Promises, Payments and Paperwork
The victims approached Gulriha police station on Sunday and submitted a written complaint seeking legal action against the accused. Police have initiated an investigation into the matter, which has triggered concern among local residents and families of the affected youths.
According to the complaint filed by Shamsher Ansari, a resident of Dumri Khas village in the Chauri Chaura area, a group of agents, including a woman, had opened an office in Bargadahi locality and claimed to arrange overseas employment opportunities. The agents allegedly promised jobs in Malaysia in packaging units and factories and collected between ₹90,000 and ₹1.20 lakh from each applicant.
Victims Mohammad Noor Bakhsh and Shahid stated that many of them arranged the money after borrowing from relatives and friends, while some allegedly mortgaged land or took loans in the hope of securing employment abroad. The complainants alleged that the agents gained their confidence by providing visa documents and airline tickets that appeared genuine, making the youths believe their travel process had been officially approved.
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Airport Check Unmasks the Ruse
The alleged fraud came to light after eight youths travelled by train to Mumbai on May 10 for their scheduled international flight to Malaysia on May 13. According to the victims, airport procedures initially appeared normal, but during final boarding verification, airline officials reportedly discovered that the tickets were fake or cancelled. The youths were immediately stopped from boarding the flight.
The victims claimed they were left stranded and humiliated at the airport before somehow managing to return to their villages. When they later reached the agents’ office in Bargadahi, they allegedly found the premises locked. The accused agents’ mobile phones were also reportedly switched off, making further communication impossible.
Probe and Prevention Advice
The complaint names several victims from different districts. Apart from Shamsher Ansari, Mohammad Noor Bakhsh, Shahid and Shakti Kumar from Gorakhpur, youths from Kushinagar including Manish Kumar, Rajneesh Prajapati, Sadre Alam, Khursheed, Shrideep, Ravindra Gupta, Zakir Ansari, Mahendra, Amit Kumar, Riyazuddin and Mohammad Kaif have also alleged financial fraud. Another victim, Jitendra, claimed that he paid nearly ₹1.5 lakh after being promised a driver’s job overseas.
Investigators suspect that the accused may have been operating a wider organised network targeting unemployed youths seeking overseas work opportunities. Police are currently examining financial transactions, passport records, digital communication and documents submitted by the victims to determine the extent of the alleged scam.
A cyber analyst associated with Future Crime Research Foundation stated that employment fraud involving foreign jobs has become increasingly common, particularly among financially vulnerable job seekers. According to the expert, fraudsters often use forged visas, fake airline bookings and fabricated offer letters to create the illusion of legitimacy. In many cases, victims are lured with promises of quick visa approvals, high salaries and guaranteed placements abroad.
The analyst further advised job seekers to verify whether overseas recruitment agencies are officially registered with the Ministry of External Affairs and possess valid licenses before making any payments or submitting passports and personal documents.
Police officials said they are tracing the accused and trying to identify whether more victims from other districts were similarly targeted. Authorities believe the investigation may uncover a larger interstate fraud network involved in fake overseas recruitment operations.
