Mangaluru: A woman in Mangaluru has filed a complaint after her son was allegedly defrauded of ₹16 lakh in a fake job visa scam promoted via Facebook.
According to the complaint, the young man came across an advertisement posted by an academy in Kodialbail, Mangaluru, promising to secure an overseas job visa within 90 days for ₹16 lakh. During a visit to the office, a man identified as Suraj Joseph took ₹2 lakh in cash and verified documents, initiating the process.
Suraj then persistently called the job aspirant, pressuring him to pay the remaining amount by threatening visa cancellation. On October 27, 2023, ₹3 lakh was transferred from the complainant’s daughter’s account, followed by another ₹13 lakh on December 1, 2023.
Despite full payment, no visa was issued. When the complainant confronted the accused on March 20, 2024, Suraj provided a written assurance on stamp paper, sealed and signed, promising either a visa within three months or a refund within six.
With no refund by the deadline, the accused issued a post-dated cheque worth ₹16 lakh in the name of a man named Sunil, dated October 3, 2024. However, the cheque bounced on December 16 due to insufficient funds.
A case has now been registered at Mangaluru North Police Station, and investigations are underway.