New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) The Delhi Police have uncovered a fraudulent call centre scam in which the accused preyed on job seekers by posing as HR representatives of reputed banks and companies, an official said on Tuesday.

The crackdown led to the arrest of 18 people involved in the fraud, police said.

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The investigation began on January 30, when a victim filed an online complaint through the NCRP portal. The complainant, actively seeking employment, had uploaded their resume on multiple job portals.

"On January 25, they received a call from a man claiming to represent a well-known bank. The caller directed them to take an online test, which they were unable to complete. Subsequently, they were advised to visit a website to take an online course, purportedly necessary for securing the job," the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) said in a statement.

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Trusting the caller, the complainant communicated further through another number provided by the scammers.

After being misled into believing this was a legitimate employment opportunity, the complainant was asked to pay a course or training fee. The fraudsters also gained access to their bank details, prompting legal action.

To nab the perpetrators, a special team was formed. Through analysis of call records, IMEI tracking, and email-linked accounts, the police traced key suspects. A raid in Janakpuri on March 7 led to the arrest of two main accused, Gaurav Dargan (46) and Piyush Malhotra (40).

Further interrogations revealed the existence of a fake call centre operating near Mata Chandan Devi Hospital in Janakpuri, said the DCP.

"Acting on this information, the team raided the site, apprehending 16 more suspects, including two women. The gang exploited job seekers by impersonating HR professionals from legitimate companies. Victims were lured with false promises of employment and coerced into paying fees for registration and training. However, no actual job offers materialised, and their money was siphoned off," he added.

During the raid, police seized eight mobile phones with SIM cards, eight laptops, one Apple desktop, five routers, two CPUs, and two monitors.

Further investigation is underway to identify additional victims and potential accomplices involved in the racket.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)