Three held for cheating

The Cyber Crime Police, Thoothukudi district, on Saturday arrested three persons, including one from Madurai, on the charge of cheating people by promising them jobs in government-approved companies.

Superintendent of Police S. Jeyakumar ordered the Cyber Crime DSP Jayaram to form a team and probe the complaint lodged by a young woman.

According to the complainant, she approached the firm in Pudugramam on July 14 after they had posted an advertisement offering jobs in government approved companies on their Facebook account.

After conducting an ‘interview’ at their office, the ‘firm’ had told her that she would get an SMS on her registered mobile phone soon. On receipt of the SMS, she was directed to remit ₹8,000.

The ‘firm’ had also created an ‘employee ID’ and texted the OTP to her with which she was directed to open the link. Believing all this, the woman joined the ‘firm’. After about a week, she was told to give training to new entrants.

When even after a fortnight, she did not get her salary, the ‘firm’ directed her to bring in fresh recruits and only then would she be able to get her pay. When she refused, she was allegedly threatened, she said in her complaint.

Multi-level marketing style

A police officer, who was part of the investigations, said that the three-member gang had taken money from the first five persons by offering them lucrative jobs, but had failed to keep up the promise. In a bid to return their money, the gang had told them to bring in nine persons each and take their cut.

At one point, the probe indicated that the gang may have cheated at least 40 to 60 people and collected ₹10,000 each. In the process, those, who had brought in fresh people in the second batch, may have taken away ₹8,000 each. Many applications, passport size photographs, photocopies of their Aadhar card, degree certificates and address proof etc, were seized.

The names of the arrested persons were given as Marimuthu (23) son of Maarnaadu of V Karisalkulam, Virudhunagar district, Manikandan (24) son of Kannan of Solai Alagupuram, Subramaniapuram, Madurai, and Christian Sudakar (23) son of Samuel of Moondradaippu Tirunelveli district.

The police suspect that close to 100 people may have been cheated. Further investigation was on.

The SP appealed to the public to verify the antecedents of such firms inviting people for walk-in interviews and offering jobs. Simple checks would not only save the savings of the common man, but also discourage such offenders from indulging in criminal acts. Building owners and hoteliers should cross-check before letting out their premises and rooms in lodges to people, run such fly-by-night firms.

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