Kanpur: A cyber fraud case involving a fake job offer and a staged online recruitment process has come to light in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, where a young job seeker was allegedly cheated of ₹1.80 lakh after being lured with the promise of employment at Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The accused allegedly conducted a mobile-based interview, assured the victim of paid training and permanent employment, and later persuaded him to collect customer documents and deposit money under the guise of finance-related work. Following the victim’s complaint, the Kanpur Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.
According to the complaint, the victim, Vikas Gautam, a resident of Naudhiya Kheda, received a phone call on 15 July from a person identifying himself as Vikram Kumar. The caller claimed he could secure Vikas a finance-related position at L&T and explained that the recruitment process would be conducted online. Believing the offer to be genuine, the victim agreed to proceed with the recruitment formalities.
The following day, Vikram allegedly conducted an interview over the mobile phone and informed Vikas that he had been selected. The accused reportedly told him that he would first undergo a seven-day training programme, after which he would be offered a permanent job. The victim was also assured that he would receive payment for the training period, further strengthening his confidence in the authenticity of the recruitment process.
Over the next few days, Vikram allegedly instructed Vikas through WhatsApp to collect Aadhaar cards and PAN cards from prospective customers and forward their copies. The complainant said he continued performing these tasks for three to four days, believing they were part of his training and employment responsibilities.
On 27 July, the accused allegedly directed Vikas to visit the residence of a woman identified as Jagruti, a resident of Awas Vikas, Kalyanpur. He was reportedly told that the documents were required to process a car finance application. During the visit, Vikas was allegedly instructed to collect Aadhaar and PAN cards along with four blank signed cheques from the woman as part of the finance documentation process.
The complainant alleged that the fraud escalated when he was asked to arrange money under various pretexts. Initially, ₹8,910 was collected in the name of file processing charges, followed by another ₹29,000. Subsequently, Vikas was allegedly instructed to deposit ₹1.03 lakh into his own bank account before transferring the amount to another account provided by the accused in the name of Ramkumar Sharma.
According to the complaint, after depositing the money and returning home, the woman’s husband, identified as Varun, arrived and accused Vikas of cheating, leaving him shocked and confused. The victim later realized that he had allegedly been used as an intermediary in a broader fraud operation. He further claimed that the accused also cheated another woman of ₹99,000 and routed additional funds through his account. Altogether, Vikas alleged that he suffered a financial loss of approximately ₹1.80 lakh.
On Wednesday afternoon, the victim met Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal and submitted a detailed complaint. Taking note of the allegations, the Police Commissioner directed officials to register a formal case. Following the order, Govind Nagar Police Station registered an FIR and commenced an investigation into the matter.
Police are now examining bank transaction records, WhatsApp chats, call detail records, digital payment trails and other electronic evidence to identify the accused and trace the flow of funds. Investigators are also verifying whether the suspects operated a larger fake recruitment racket by misusing the names of reputed companies to target job seekers.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said employment-related cyber fraud has been rising across the country, with fraudsters increasingly conducting fake online interviews and offering attractive salaries to gain victims’ trust. He advised job seekers to verify recruitment offers only through official company websites, avoid sharing personal documents or blank cheques with unknown individuals, and never transfer money in the name of recruitment, training, registration or file processing fees. Anyone encountering such fraud should immediately report the incident to the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or the Cyber Crime Portal for prompt action.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
