Lucknow: In a major crackdown on cyber fraud, a joint team of the Cyber Crime Cell and Cyber Police Station in Lucknow has busted a job scam racket allegedly cheating unemployed youth across the country in the name of fake job placements.
Acting on specific intelligence, the cyber crime team conducted a raid at a suspected call centre operating from the fourth floor of James Tower in the Vibhuti Khand area. During the operation, five accused—two men and three women—were arrested.
The accused have been identified as Zeeshan Khan, Satish Pal, Sonali Chaurasia, Shivani Verma, and Neelu Verma. Police said further investigation is underway to identify other members linked to the network.
According to officials, the gang targeted job seekers across India by offering fake employment opportunities through online platforms and call centre operations. Victims were allegedly lured into paying money under various pretexts in exchange for fake appointment letters and job confirmations.
During the raid, police recovered 11 keypad mobile phones, two smartphones, a laptop, 102 work data sheets, 26 fake joining letters, and several other incriminating documents. Investigators believe these materials will help uncover the wider network and financial trail behind the scam.
Preliminary findings suggest that the accused used professional-looking documents and scripted communication to gain the trust of victims before extracting money from them through digital payment modes.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime) Kiran Yadav confirmed the operation and said that a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law. She added that further investigation is ongoing to trace other individuals involved in the racket and to determine the total scale of the fraud.
Authorities are now analysing seized data to identify victims and expand the probe across multiple states, as officials suspect the scam may have a nationwide footprint.
