Job frauds on the rise in north Andhra

Visakhapatnam: Two job fraud cases were reported in the city during the last 10 days, indicating there is a spurt in the number of flyby operators duping innocent unemployed youth in north Andhra.

The latest was registered by Malkapuram police on Monday against a man who offered lucrative jobs in Singapore and Malaysia and collected an amount of Rs 15 lakh from 20 unemployed youth.

Highlights:

• In a latest case, 20 youth were promised jobs in Singapore and Malaysia and duped of Rs 15 lakh
• Cops to use decoy aspirants to trap those behind the frauds

The agent gave them fake visa and sent them to Chennai where they waited for a week and returned home realising they were taken for a ride. They are yet to lodge a formal complaint as they were advised that the agent might return their money.

Two more cases were also reported from the industrial suburbs of Gajuwaka during the same period.
Inspite of repeated cases, the unemployed persons including illiterate women from rural areas are falling prey to smart operators.

Some agents are luring them with employment in West Asia, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia and some in public sector undertakings like railways, steel plant and in defence wings like Army and Navy.
The fraud is not limited to meeting the victims directly and conducting interviews, some smart operators are also defrauding people online.

“Unable to get employment in government sector and inadequate salary and insecurity in private and corporate sector are driving the educated youth to look for jobs in foreign shores. This is where the fraudsters are coming into picture and taking advantage,’’ said a former police officer who dealt in such cases.

Another officer said more than 1,500 unemployed youth including technical personnel with experience and fresh B Tech graduates from North Andhra region were cheated by agents this year though all may not have complained to the police.
“There is no government agency to track these agents and warn the people in advance,’’ said K Venkata Rao, who was cheated by an agent five years ago.

With the pressure from the local political leaders and higher officials, the local police began keeping surveillance on the agents, who generally advertise in the local newspapers calling for interviews.

“We are planning to send our police personnel both men and women as decoy customers and observe the entire operation. If they find something fishy, they will immediately round off the fraudsters and save the money of the people,’’ said Deputy Commissioner of Police K Faikarappa.

Special branch inspector K Himabindu said that there were about 14 employment agencies registered with the government who furnish the list of employees sent abroad to the emigration office and special branch. But it is difficult the track the number of flyby operators who keep changing their names and addresses, she said.

“The victims mostly come to us after losing money. They should take little precaution like informing us
before shelling out huge money,’’ she said.There are some good agents though they are not registered. It is the people, who unable to work in the harsh conditions, inform their family members back home and try to get back the money by lodging complaints with the police, the inspector said.

By KMP Patnaik