Udupi: A man from Udupi was allegedly duped of Rs 1.5 lakh by fraudsters who promised to arrange a visa for overseas employment after he responded to an advertisement posted on Facebook.
According to the complaint, the victim came across a website promoted through the social media platform and applied for a visa through it. He was subsequently contacted by two men who introduced themselves as Vishnumani and Srinivasan from Chennai.
The men allegedly assured him that they could arrange the required visa for overseas employment for Rs 1.5 lakh. Trusting their assurances, the complainant made payments in two instalments through online transactions.
Fraudsters contact victim after Facebook advertisement
The complainant reportedly applied for the visa after responding to an advertisement on Facebook.
According to the complaint, on June 20, two men identifying themselves as Vishnumani and Srinivasan contacted him over the phone. They allegedly claimed to be capable of arranging the visa and quoted Rs 1.5 lakh for the service.
The victim reportedly believed their assurances and agreed to make the payment.
The incident highlights the risks associated with online advertisements offering overseas employment and visa-related services, particularly when the identity and credentials of the people behind such offers are not independently verified.
Rs 75,000 transferred from daughter’s account
As instructed by the alleged fraudsters, the complainant transferred Rs 75,000 through UPI on July 2.
The payment was made from his daughter’s bank account to an account held in the name of Vrishnakuppa Aarthi.
The accused allegedly sought another payment towards the promised visa arrangement. The complainant subsequently transferred a further Rs 75,000 online from his son-in-law’s bank account.
The second payment was reportedly made to a bank account in the name of Ajith Kumar.
With the two transactions, the complainant had transferred the entire promised amount of Rs 1.5 lakh.
Visa not arranged, calls allegedly ignored
After receiving the money, the accused allegedly failed to arrange the promised visa.
The complainant reportedly attempted to contact Vishnumani and Srinivasan to enquire about the status of the visa. However, the two men allegedly stopped responding to his calls.
Repeated attempts to contact them reportedly failed, raising suspicions that the offer had been fraudulent.
Realising that he had allegedly been cheated of Rs 1.5 lakh, the victim approached the police and lodged a complaint.
Brahmavar Police register case
Based on the complaint, Brahmavar Police have registered a case against the accused.
The case has been registered under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
Section 66(C) deals with identity theft involving fraudulent or dishonest use of another person’s electronic signature, password or other unique identification feature, while Section 66(D) concerns cheating by personation using a computer resource or communication device.
The police are expected to investigate the bank accounts into which the money was transferred and trace the persons allegedly involved in the fraud.
The transactions made from the complainant’s family members’ accounts could also help investigators establish the money trail and identify the recipients.
Police probe money trail
The alleged fraud involved payments to two different bank accounts, with Rs 75,000 transferred to each account.
Investigators are likely to examine the account holders, transaction details and communication records between the complainant and the alleged accused.
The website promoted through Facebook and the advertisement through which the complainant was contacted may also form part of the investigation.
Authorities may examine whether the same website, phone numbers or bank accounts have been used to target other people seeking overseas employment.
The case serves as a reminder to job seekers to verify overseas employment and visa offers through authorised agencies and official channels before making payments.
People responding to social media advertisements should also verify the credentials of recruiters, employers and visa consultants and avoid transferring money solely on the basis of telephone assurances.
The Brahmavar Police investigation is now under way to identify the alleged fraudsters, trace the transferred funds and determine the full circumstances surrounding the Rs 1.5 lakh loss.