Pune: Software Engineer Duped of ₹29.97 Lakh in Job Fraud; Police Launch Investigation
Pune: A woman software engineer from Pimpri-Chinchwad was allegedly duped of ₹29.97 lakh by cyber fraudsters who promised her a high-paying job in Australia. The victim had uploaded her details on multiple job portals, which the suspects might have accessed before contacting her, according to the police.
A case has been registered against accused Harsh Mishra, Shivansh Patariya, Avinash Mishra, and one unidentified individual under BNS sections 316(2), 318(4), 3(5), and sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act. The Sant Tukaram Nagar police station has initiated an investigation into the case.
According to the complaint, one of the accused, Harsh Mishra, who claimed to be from a recruitment agency, contacted the victim and assured her of a job opportunity in Australia. Believing the offer to be genuine, she arranged the necessary documents.
On November 28, 2023, the victim inquired whether the agency could also assist her father in securing a job in the sales and marketing sector abroad. The accused pretended to initiate the procedure and demanded payments. Trusting their claims, the victim transferred a total of ₹29.97 lakh across multiple bank accounts.
However, after receiving the funds, the accused stopped responding to her calls. Senior police inspector Gorakh Kumbhar stated, “By assuring her a job in a foreign country, the accused duped the victim to the tune of ₹29.97 lakh.”
Authorities have urged job seekers to verify recruitment offers carefully and avoid making financial transactions to unknown parties. Investigations are ongoing to track down the accused.
