A fresh overseas employment fraud case has surfaced in Lucknow, where a travel agency has been accused of cheating nine individuals out of a total of ₹9.5 lakh on the pretext of sending them to New Zealand and Russia for work. Following complaints from the victims, the Vibhuti Khand police have registered a case and an investigation is underway. Preliminary findings suggest that the accused used social media advertisements to lure job seekers with promises of overseas employment opportunities.
According to the complaint, Avdhesh, a resident of Khadda in Kushinagar district, was looking for employment abroad. During his search, he came across a social media advertisement promoting visa and overseas placement services. He contacted the number provided in the advertisement and was connected with the operator of Amiya Global Service Travel Agency, located in Sector D, Vibhuti Khand area of Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.
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The Airport Clearance Reveal
The complainant alleged that the agency operator promised to arrange employment and travel to New Zealand for a fee of ₹1.60 lakh. Hoping for better career prospects, Avdhesh paid the amount as demanded. He was later asked to pay an additional ₹80,000 for airline tickets. After receiving the money, the accused handed over visa documents and travel tickets, leading the victim to believe that all formalities had been completed successfully.
The fraudulent cross-border pipeline followed a clear sequence:
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Digital Bait Selection: The syndicate deployed continuous target algorithms on social media to profile rural, unemployed youth seeking manual work permit conversions.
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The Compliance Upfront Drain: Victims were routed to the physical branch desk where upfront operational tranches for documentation and air tickets were collected.
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Airport Grid Climax: The fraud sequence unraveled concurrently at the international terminal gate, where electronic scanners flagged completely fabricated visa stamps.
The alleged fraud came to light when Avdhesh arrived at the airport for his scheduled journey. During document verification, immigration officials informed him that the visa presented by him was entirely fake and that the airline ticket issued in his name had already been cancelled. Shocked by the revelation, he immediately attempted to contact the agency operator, but the calls went completely unanswered.
The Collective Locked-Office Discovery
While struggling to resolve the situation at the airport, Avdhesh discovered that he was not the only victim. He met eight other individuals who claimed they had also been promised jobs and overseas travel to either New Zealand or Russia by the same operator. According to them, substantial sums had been collected from each of them under various pretexts related to visas, documentation, and travel arrangements.
The complainants alleged that Ashish Prajapati of Dandopur in Kushinagar was cheated of ₹70,000, Angad of Chakhni Bhumihari Pahi ₹70,000, Manish Kumar Singh of Vishunpur in Maharajganj ₹70,000, Rammani of Baharai in Gorakhpur ₹70,000, Shyam of Champaran in Bihar ₹1 lakh, Akhilesh of Sohramau in Unnao ₹1.60 lakh, Neeraj of Maurawan in Unnao ₹1.60 lakh, and Ajay Kumar Dubey of Kanpur Road ₹10,000. Together with the amount taken from Avdhesh, the total claimed loss stands at approximately ₹9.5 lakh. After sharing their experiences, the victims visited the agency’s office together, only to find it locked.
The Shifting Face of Digital Visual Traps
Investigators are examining allegations that the accused relied heavily on social media marketing to attract customers. Promises of overseas jobs, quick visa approvals, and work permits were used to gain the trust of aspiring migrant workers seeking employment opportunities abroad.
Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said fraudsters increasingly exploit social media platforms and forged documents to target individuals looking for jobs, visas, and immigration services. He advised job seekers to independently verify agencies, check official Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) registrations, and confirm visa details through authorised embassy channels before making any digital or cash payments.
Based on Avdhesh’s complaint, police have registered a formal First Information Report (FIR) and launched an investigation into the alleged fraud. Authorities are currently auditing financial transactions, tracking the bank accounts tied to Amiya Global Services, and analyzing the travel documents to identify the full extent of the scam as efforts continue to trace the absconding operators.
