The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Job-seekers cheated online

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Wednesday, Jul 29, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Job-seekers cheated online

Staff Reporter

Tricksters launch website to con unemployed youth

Website in name of non-existent medical research centre
Centre established by the Union Ministry of Health, claim the conmen

HYDERABAD: While there is no dispute of Hyderabad being the hub of software industry, the increasing number of online frauds reported here is thrusting upon it the dubious distinction of becoming the centre for cyber crime, as yet another Internet-based job fraud came to light on Tuesday.

A gang of tricksters duped three job-seekers (number of victims is likely to go up) of over Rs. 4 lakh by launching a website about a non-existent medical research centre at Moinabad. Following a complaint from one of the victims, Shailender Singh, an advocate from Farookabad district of Uttar Pradesh, the Moinabad police are trying to trace the unidentified conmen.

According to Moinabad Inspector V. Bhaskar, the fraudsters launched a website - www.imrc.in- in the name of Indian Medical Research Centre with several links regarding information about the organisation, vacancies, etc.

They claimed the centre was established by the Union Ministry of Health and even posted a logo and photos of a posh building suggesting it was their office.

The site even displayed ex-Union Health Minister Ramdoss’ photo!

Ad published

All this led to the unsuspecting persons believe that the centre was a genuine one. The gang published an ad in Hindi daily Dainik Jagaran seeking applications for some posts on April 24.

Meanwhile, two men in their mid-30s hired a portion of a house at Moinabad claiming they wanted to open IMRC’s communication office there for corresponding with prospective clients. When the victim, Mr. Singh, rang up the phone number given in the ad, a woman, Pratibha Reddy received the call and asked him to deposit money in specific bank accounts. He initially deposited Rs. 5,000 in a bank and later handed over Rs. 1 lakh to another person in Delhi personally.

In all, he paid Rs. 1.85 lakh and received an appointment letter through e-mail. But the advocate could not find any IMRC when he went to Moinabad hoping to join the organisation.

Eventually, he approached the local police to lodge a complaint. Two others, Brija Misra and Yogender Singh, all belonging to Uttar Pradesh, were also relieved of Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 80,000 in a similar fashion.

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