Noida, February 28 Noida Police on Saturday arrested two individuals for allegedly defrauding over 100 people of over Rs 70 lakh by promising fake overseas jobs through social media platforms, officials said.
The police seized nine Indian passports, four mobile phones, a laptop, seven forged job pamphlets, nine fake visa printouts, seven airline ticket printouts, and Rs 73,500 in cash from the accused.
The arrests were made following a complaint by a victim who claimed that he was cheated of around Rs 1.5 lakh under the pretext of being provided a job in a foreign country. The accused have been identified as Niaz Ahmed (43), also known as Arman, and Raju Shah (33). Ahmed, originally from Maharajganj, was residing in Jamia Nagar, Delhi. Shah from Siwan, Bihar, was living in Manesar, Gurugram.
"On Saturday, police in Sector 126 arrested the two accused who were defrauding people through social media by offering jobs abroad," said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida), Manisha Singh.
According to the police, the duo operated a fraudulent scheme under a fictitious firm named 'Future Light Manpower' to appear credible. They created advertisements promising high salaries, free visas and air tickets, which were circulated on social media platforms.
To avoid detection, the accused primarily communicated through WhatsApp calls. They allegedly sent forged offer letters and fabricated documents to lure victims, collecting money in phases for processing fees, visa charges, medical tests, and embassy approvals.
Under the guise of visa processing, the accused also took the original passports of victims to keep them dependent and extract more money.
Initial examination of the seized mobile phones showed the accused were linked to several national and international job groups. The police said the duo allegedly cheated more than 100 people.
The police added that multiple cases are registered against Niaz Ahmed in Bihar and Gautam Buddha Nagar, and against Raju Shah at the Sector 126 Police Station in Noida.