A Gujarat couple has been arrested after allegedly cheating 29 people of more than ₹1.06 crore by promising overseas jobs, work permits and e-visas in Europe and Dubai.
Police identified the accused as Ankitaben Hardik Shah, 41, and her husband Hardik Hasmukhbhai Shah, 47. The couple allegedly operated Krishna Overseas Consultancy from Anand.
A third accused, Anand resident Nandkumar Damubhai Ukani, is reportedly absconding.
Police allege that the consultancy attracted jobseekers through social-media advertisements promising employment in countries including Serbia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Armenia, as well as Dubai.
The offers allegedly included not only salaries but also accommodation and food.
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Social media advertisements allegedly brought victims to consultancy
The alleged operation appears to have relied heavily on attractive online advertisements.
People searching for better employment opportunities abroad were offered packages involving jobs, e-visas and work permits.
Among the complainants was Kundanben Patel of Petlad.
Police say she and other applicants paid substantial amounts after approaching the consultancy.
The accused allegedly supplied visa papers and other documents to build confidence.
The problem reportedly emerged when applicants began verifying the information contained in those documents.
Companies shown as foreign employers allegedly could not be found, raising questions over whether the work permits, employment offers and associated paperwork were genuine.
The applicants were not sent abroad as promised, according to the complaints.
Their money was also allegedly not returned.
Alleged fraud amount rose from ₹78.80 lakh to ₹1.06 crore
An FIR was registered on September 10 following Kundanben’s complaint.
Police subsequently formed a special investigation team and searched the consultancy office and other locations connected with the accused.
Documents and other material were seized for examination.
The alleged financial scale initially stood at around ₹78.80 lakh.
As investigators recorded statements from additional complainants, the amount reportedly rose to ₹1,06,26,960.
So far, 29 people have allegedly been identified as victims.
Ankitaben was arrested on September 11 and her husband on September 12, according to police information in the source material.
Investigators are examining bank accounts to establish where applicants’ money was deposited and how it was later used.
What should an overseas jobseeker verify before paying an agent?
India already has a formal system for checking overseas recruitment.
Under the Emigration Act, 1983, people conducting overseas recruitment are generally required to register as Recruiting Agents with the Protector General of Emigrants.
The Ministry of External Affairs says applicants should verify whether an agent’s Registration Certificate is valid before dealing with them. Registered agents can be checked through the government’s eMigrate system.
That is only the first check.
The MEA also advises jobseekers to obtain details of the foreign employer and independently verify whether the employment offer is genuine.
A registered recruiting agent should be able to produce documents such as the foreign employer’s demand letter, power of attorney and employment contract.
For direct recruitment, foreign employers also operate under prescribed rules and permits.
The employment agreement should clearly state the salary and working conditions instead of leaving important promises to verbal assurances or WhatsApp conversations.
Fake visa documents can make a false job look convincing
Overseas employment fraud often succeeds because the victim receives paperwork before travelling.
An e-visa, employment letter or work permit carrying company logos and official-looking numbers can make the process appear legitimate.
But documents can be fabricated.
Even a genuine visa does not automatically prove that the promised job exists.
That is why the foreign employer itself needs to be checked independently rather than relying on contact details supplied by the agent.
The MEA specifically advises people who receive overseas job offers to contact the foreign company directly to verify the offer.
The same principle applies to advertised salaries and accommodation.
A recruiter offering unusually attractive pay, free accommodation and food may be making a genuine offer, but those claims should appear in a verifiable employment contract.
Government warns against large payments to recruiters
Another useful warning sign is the amount demanded.
MEA guidance says registered recruiting agents cannot charge unlimited amounts for their services. Its current public guidance states that prescribed service charges are capped at the equivalent of 45 days’ wages under the employment contract, subject to a maximum of ₹20,000.
People being asked to pay several lakhs solely to a recruiter should therefore stop and verify exactly what the money is for.
The Ministry also advises applicants not to hand over their passport, educational certificates or money until the genuineness of both the job and employer has been established.
Complaints against suspected fraudulent recruiters can be filed through eMigrate or raised with the Protector General of Emigrants. The government’s MADAD mechanism and Overseas Workers Resource Centre can also assist workers facing overseas-employment problems.
Police in Anand are now trying to determine whether the 29 known complainants represent the complete scale of the alleged operation.
Investigators are also searching for Ukani and examining whether additional people helped create documents, advertise the jobs or receive applicants’ money.
The authenticity of the supposed overseas employers and visa material will likely become one of the most important parts of the investigation.
What this means for you: Before paying for an overseas job, verify the recruiting agent on eMigrate and contact the foreign employer independently. Never treat a social-media advertisement, e-visa screenshot or company letter as proof that a job actually exists.
The420 Insight: Overseas job scams sell more than a visa — they sell an entire future. Once fake documents, salary promises and free accommodation make that future look real, victims can be persuaded to transfer lakhs before discovering that the employer itself may never have existed.
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