Racket operated from a rented office in Sector 16; forged joining letters, bank accounts and SIM cards seized as police probe wider network
Noida: In a major crackdown on employment fraud, Noida Phase-1 police have busted an organised racket that allegedly cheated over 200 job-seekers by promising them high-paying positions in reputed companies. The gang was operating a fake call centre in Sector 16, where they posed as placement consultants and extracted registration fees from unemployed youth desperate for work.
Police have arrested three key accused identified as Vishal Raghav, Aamir Usmani and Varun Kumar, who were staying in Aligarh, Ghaziabad and Delhi respectively. The accused had set up their fraudulent business inside a commercial office space equipped with laptops, phones and fabricated documentation.
Police Raid Uncovers Fake Employment Operation
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Yamuna Prasad said the arrests were made after the police received a credible input regarding suspicious activities inside a Sector-16 office. Acting swiftly, a team raided the premises and discovered the scam in full swing.
From the spot, officers seized:
- 7 mobile phones used for candidate outreach
- 4 debit cards linked to multiple fraudulent accounts
- 3 active SIM cards procured using forged IDs
- A passbook and cheque book used for laundering collected funds
- Fake joining letters from multiple reputed companies
- Large candidate data sheets and digital devices
Officials said the bank accounts and SIM cards were crucial to the racket’s payment cycles and were issued using counterfeit documents to avoid tracing.
Fake Recruitment, Real Money: How the Scam Worked
According to the investigation, the group would call up job-seekers—often those recently registered on portals like Naukri.com and FoundIt—and offer them roles that did not exist.
Victims were told:
- Their resume had been shortlisted for a top MNC
- They must deposit ₹1,000–₹50,000 as registration, document verification or onboarding charges
- A formal offer letter would be issued once the fee was paid
To appear legitimate, the scammers would send forged offer and appointment letters via WhatsApp or email.
After receiving the money, communication was gradually cut off.
The police revealed that Vishal Raghav handled bank withdrawals, keeping 10–20% commission for himself before passing the remaining funds to the masterminds.
Racket Has a Larger Network, Earlier Arrests Linked
Just four days earlier, police busted another fake call centre in Sector-4 and arrested two individuals, Somesh and Anuj, who allegedly ran a similar module in Hyderabad back in 2017. Investigators believe the latest arrests are connected to the same network.
Their operating strategy included:
- Hiring women tele-callers for only a month, paying them off, and rotating staff to avoid complaints
- Targeting job-seekers outside NCR, mostly from southern and remote regions
- Using burner SIMs and short-term rental offices to shift locations frequently
Police suspect this Noida-based gang may have additional financiers and accomplices who are still at large.
- Authorities Issue Warning to Job-Seekers
- With cyber-enabled placement frauds rapidly increasing across the NCR region, police advised the public to remain vigilant:
- Avoid paying upfront for job offers
- Verify every offer letter directly with the employer
- Do not share personal documents or OTPs with unknown callers
- Cross-check recruiter details via official career websites
A senior officer noted that unemployment pressures make youth easy targets for organised crime groups exploiting trust and urgency.
Further Probe Underway, More Arrests Likely
Digital forensics teams are now analysing seized phones, bank transactions, call records and the vast stolen candidate database. Authorities believe the total amount defrauded may run into several lakhs, and more victims are expected to come forward.
“This is a well-structured cybercrime module specifically preying on unemployed youth. We expect more arrests as the investigation progresses,”
— Senior Noida Police Officer
The three accused are currently being interrogated to identify the masterminds, financial handlers and data suppliers behind the operation.
