Cyberabad police arrest key member of job fraud gang in Gulbarga

Hyderabad: Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police arrested Mohammed Ali from Gulbarga, Karnataka, for allegedly operating a sophisticated job fraud scheme that duped several job seekers through a fake placement consultancy. The arrest was made on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation into the recruitment fraud case.

A team of five members, allegedly posed as HR professionals from leading IT companies and conducted fake interviews, targeting desperate job seekers. Police said they have seized a mobile phone from the accused.

According to Inspector P. Narendra Reddy, who is leading the investigation, the fraud came to light when a complaint was filed on August 1, 2024. The complainant reported being contacted by a woman identifying herself as Reshma, claiming to be a Senior HR Manager at Cognizant (CTS).

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“The accused (Reshma and Koushik) set up a fake consultancy office in Kukatpally in 2023. They created elaborate schemes, including fake job offers from CTS and IBM, to appear legitimate,” Inspector Narendra Reddy said.

The gang’s modus operandi involved collecting resumes from victims and demanding 50 percent advance payments for job placements. Reshma, alias Swapna, would make initial contact, while other gang members conducted fake interviews. The money collected was transferred to accounts held by Mohammed Nazeeruddin Raza. 

The case was registered after victims received fake offer letters from spoofed email addresses of prominent IT companies. After collecting the money, the fraudsters stopped responding to victims’ calls and blocked their numbers.

Two gang members, Reshma (alias Swapna) and Mohammed Naseeruddin Raza, were previously arrested in connection with the case. Two others, identified as Fazil Patil and Koushik, remain absconding.