Software engineer loses over Rs 22 lakh
Representational image
Hyderabad: One fine day last November 33-year-old techie N. Pratap from Kondapur received a job offer from a US-based MNC. Pratap, who had many years of experience as a senior staffer at an MNC in Hyderabad, found the offer attractive.
The “HR officials” offered him a job at the company’s headquarters in California with a pay of $10,000, two months annual paid leave and health insurance. The officials offered a job to his wife too. Pratap was excited as he always wanted to move to the US with his family. However, little did he know that the excitement would cost him a big part of his savings.
The selection process went on for over four months with the “HR officials” contacting him through email. Pratap and the officials exchanged around a 100 emails during this period. He was asked to pay for insurance, background checks and immigration. Pratap was interviewed by different people over the phone.
A convinced Pratap started transferring money whenever they asked and he kept on getting acknowledgements and receipts from the company’s “official email ID.” However, despite paying a lot of money, the process did not end and Pratap grew suspicious. But it was too late. After approaching the police, he realised that a professional gang of cyber crooks duped him. In 17 transactions, he paid Rs 22.18 lakh. He even paid for flight tickets. The crooks convinced him that the entire amount will be refunded after he starts working.
Cyberabad cyber crime police officials have started an investigation. Cyber crime cops said that Nigerians could be behind this case. “They can pull it off without creating any doubt in the mind of an IT expert who has been working with a MNC for years. They spoofed emails, forged documents, and created fake websites to convince the victim,” said a police official.
Police found that all the money was transferred to accounts in India itself. Most of the account holders are from Maharashtra and northern parts of the country. The police also suspect that the crooks collected the victim’s email ID by searching portals. They must have also tried to cheat techies in different parts of the country.
( Source : dc )
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