Fake job rackets turning to e-wallets to avoid getting caught easily

According to police sources, members of fake job rackets have taken up a new modus operandi to dupe aspirants by asking them to transfer money through e-wallets in order to get a job.

Considering that getting money transferred to their accounts can lead them to trouble, the fake job rackets these days are turning to e-wallets which do not guarantee them an escape from the hands of law but makes the job of the investigators a little more difficult.

It may be mentioned that it is an easier task to open new e-wallet accounts than getting new bank accounts opened which calls for producing a lot more identification documents.

Earlier, members of the rackets used to ask such job aspirants to deposit a hefty amount of money in a particular bank account that they used to open by producing fake documents.

A senior police officer said that despite creating mass awareness, there are still a section of people who fall into the trap of job rackets and they give money with a hope that they will be helped in getting jobs.

Members of such rackets can in no way help job aspirants but they convince youth or their parents through their tall talks only to lay hands on some easy money.

They befool people claiming that they know senior officials of different government organisations and can help in getting jobs but in reality they cheat job seekers.

In most of the cases they keep in touch with the job-seekers over phone after a single meeting, when they direct the latter to henceforth follow their directions till they bag the 'assured' job.

Earlier they used to ask job-seekers or their family members to take a membership against a token amount of some thousand rupees. The amount had to be deposited in a particular bank account.

The modus operandi of the job rackets are so convicing that gullible people easily fall into the traps. Initially they do not ask for a huge amount. After around a week or 10 days they call up the job-seekers and say that they can help them to get a job. At the same time, the job-seeker is asked to deposit at least Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000. Again after a few days they ask for some more money.

Once the job-seeker deposits around Rs 1 lakh or more, members of the rackets discontinue all connections with the latter and switch off their cell phones. The bank accounts in which job-seekers transfer the money lie unused after the accused withdraw the entire amount. These days, they ask job-seekers to transfer money through e-wallets in phases and this in turn has saved their time in getting new bank accounts opened.

Recently, one Abhijit Bhadra, a resident of New Garia, lodged a complaint with Panchasayar police station alleging that he was duped after being asked to transfer money through an e-wallet. After receiving the complaint, the police are trying to find out how the menace can be checked and initiated a probe to arrest the accused.