Six arrested in Noida for fake airline job scam targeting IGI Airport aspirants
New Delhi: Six people have been arrested for allegedly running a fake airline recruitment racket that targeted job seekers aspiring to work at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The accused operated from a small office in Noida's Sector 62, where three women posed as human resource executives of a non-existent airline, police said on Monday.
The women, aged between 20 and 25, would call young job aspirants from Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab, offering them jobs at the airport. They also claimed that candidates had to enrol in a mandatory aviation course at a fictitious institute before joining. The telecallers were arrested last week along with the alleged mastermind and two associates.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Prashant Choudhary said that so far ten victims have been identified, but the actual number could be higher as many may have chosen not to report the fraud due to the relatively small amounts involved.
The scam is believed to have been active for four to five months. Each victim was charged between ₹7,000 and ₹10,000 as a 'registration' or 'admission fee', collected through UPI transfers directly into the accounts of the accused.
The investigation began after a Paharganj resident, Vikas Kumar, filed a complaint. He had seen an Instagram advertisement on June 10 offering a job at 'Bretish Airways' based at IGI Airport. After submitting his details, he received a call from a woman identifying herself as 'Karishma'. She collected his PAN card, Aadhaar details, marksheets and resume via WhatsApp, and told him that a diploma in aviation or airport management from 'Future Wings Learning Institute' was mandatory.
Mr. Kumar transferred ₹7,000 through UPI. In return, he received what appeared to be an admission slip, a no-objection certificate and a job offer. It was only when the woman stopped answering his calls that he realised he had been cheated.
Police traced the mobile numbers, UPI transactions and website registration details to a rented office at Gaur City Centre Mall in Noida. There they arrested Sandeep Kumar, 23, the alleged mastermind, and his associate Akhil Kumar, 27, on August 18. Subsequently, Rakesh Kumar, 47, a website developer who designed and hosted the fake websites, was arrested along with the three telecallers – Shweta, Sapna and Sakshi.
Investigators said Sandeep had previously worked as a telecaller for companies involved in similar fraudulent aviation recruitment schemes. He later started his own venture called 'Pragati Airways' before partnering with Akhil to launch 'Bretish Airways' and 'Future Wings Learning Institute'.
To avoid detection, the accused frequently changed their offices, websites, mobile phones and SIM cards. When complaints about 'Bretish Airways' began surfacing, they created new fake websites under the names 'Shankh Airways' and 'Excellence Learning Institute' from another office in the same building.
The police have seized two laptops, eight mobile phones, eight SIM cards registered in the names of the telecallers, and two registers containing data of jobseekers. Further investigation is underway to identify more victims and uncover any other accomplices.
Authorities advise job seekers to verify the authenticity of any airline or recruitment agency before making payments. They can check the official websites of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) for licensed operators.
