Job Fraud: Fake abroad job offers

This is a fully planned and targeted job fraud that is going on in India. With a steady increase in the number of people exploring lucrative work overseas options, there has been a corresponding rise in instances of frauds related to fake job offers abroad and fraudulent visa consultancies.

The victim, Vikas(name changed), is pursuing B.Tech ( Computer Science ) in 2021 grad. Writing this from the perspective of Vikas.

I don’t how they got my email id, might be the reason I am applying in many job portal online and they have access to my data somehow and this, all started which blow my mind completely.

13 Sept 2020
I got a mail from HR of Jaguar land rover Company and mentioned that they shortlist my profile from LinkedIn and decided to move forward with my candidacy for the Data Analyst role and also attached the word document in which they ask few leadership questions to complete. I complete it revert within 1 day and after got another mail which mentioned that I am selected for a role at their company.

HR mail id: jaguarlandroverunithr@gmail.com

This is the mail ID from where I got the mail and written soon you will get the contract letter and appointment/offer letter from our side.

For me, it looks so authentic, as iam getting rejections in my on-campus placements hence I decided to move forward.

After 2 days-15 Sept 2020
I got the contract letter and offer letter from the same mail ID and also written that I should contact our immigration officer and forward all the documents for my VISA processing.
The amount written is 28270/- Indian rupee for VISA processing.
The document they asked to share with their person
1. my passport copy
2. contact letter
3.offer letter
They also gave mail id and their consultant person name and number who is working in UK Embassy, India.

Mail id: visaenquiry.gov.uk@consultant.com
NAME: DOMINIC ASQUITH
MOBILE NO: +91–7085356009

As this is so quick, I didn’t get much time to tell my family about this, and then I thought to give a surprise to the family at the end.

And it’s also mentioned that I need to give the VISA amount to the given consultant.

For me, it seems that all the information and document to be true and realistic, So I send all the documents to the mail id.
After a day their consultant calls me (on my mobile number) and explaining about VISA Processing and said to give a VISA payment to the account details.
He messages me the bank details where I need to give my VISA payment. He is showing that he is really working at UK Embassy in India.

Account details:
Name: SIBLI DEVI
Account no: 919010007550526
IFSC: UTIB0002914
Brach: Delhi
Axis Bank

I got the doubt as that is the personnel account name and number but I ignore it in excitement (The first mistake, which can be stopped this all if I was more aware).“They sicken of the calm who know the storm.” -Dorothy

It took around 3 hours to arrange and complete the payment and send the proof to their consultant. (Which is the biggest mistake I did).
Then they gave me a visa application to fill and said to complete it within 2 hours, I complete it and send them back and they gave me the fake receipt of payment and they said you need to show this proof when you will enter the UK Embassy India for the Finger Print.

This is my turning point to get out of this fraud loop.

At this point, I was so excited and in the next early morning, I was searching the route to the UK embassy from my place in Google Maps and then this happens which cut the ground from my feet.

I always had a habit to read the review and comment sections for any place or video and this actually helps me in this scam. I was reading a comment in the review sections and one title got my eye which is “Abroad job offers from Jaguar and other companies” and that comment is the same as what is happening with me right now. Without any second thought, I knew I got targeted. I was like the whole dream and surprise plan got destroyed and from inside my mind was blank as I don’t know what to do.

I mentally prepared myself and decided to file a complaint in the UK and Indian cybercrime Portal.

I got a mail from the HR mail id and written you paid your VISA Amount late and now need to pay (52 thousand Indian Rupee) for other documents also and they are still in contact with me and asking for money.

How to avoid getting duped in job scams

1. Fraudulent job emails usually don’t have detailed information about the job, role, company, and package. The content of the e-mail would be vague and unclear.

2. If money is asked, then it’s a fake job call. No legitimate company asks for money in the name of bonds or security deposits in advance.

3. The list of openings shared with you would be enormous — right from blue-collar staffers of all industries to white-collar staffers to the top management.

4. Generally, these emails would land in your spam folder. Because they were sent in bulk.

5. Email address from where the mail is sent would be deceptive. You would find an email address where the name of the company would be displayed like this ‘@abc.com’. However, a genuine job call from any company will never use the email services of Gmail or Yahoo Mail, or Hotmail to send job offers to candidates.

6. Office address given at the bottom of the mail would mostly be wrong.

7. Fake job calls generally would have numerous misspellings and grammatical errors.

8. It’s a fake job call if you asked to disclose your date of birth, social security number, or any other personal detail. Companies may ask for some of this information but not before the job offer has been made. It is a second stage after you have been shortlisted that some such information is required for a background check.

This is all fraud and already happened to many students in India on a large scale where they are providing offer letters and asking for visa amounts. This is fully flashed planned to target Indian students.

So guys please be aware and don’t do those mistakes I did, and these fraud people should be behind the bars.