Jalandhar: The growing craze among Punjab’s youth to go abroad and establish businesses there has now become a major source of income for cyber fraudsters. Previously, fake travel agents would commit fraud under the pretext of securing jobs and visas; however, fraudsters active on social media are now targeting people using new and highly cunning methods—often by posing as NRI widows. This gang befriends young people by claiming to be wealthy widowed businesswomen residing in Canada, Australia, or Dubai. They then lure them with dreams of becoming business partners abroad, managing hotels, receiving a share in property, or settling overseas after marriage.
To establish their credibility as successful businesswomen, these female fraudsters upload photographs of luxury cars, opulent bungalows, international offices, and multi-crore businesses to their social media profiles. Subsequently, they engage in prolonged conversations to win the trust of these young men, after which they begin soliciting money under various pretexts.
Three Youths Fall Victim to Fraud in Jalandhar
In Jalandhar, three such cases have come to light in which youths were defrauded of approximately ₹92 lakh:
Case 1: Sahil, a resident of Basti Nau, was contacted by a woman via social media. The woman identified herself as an NRI businesswoman living in Canada and lured Sahil with the promise of a job at a major company. Through continuous communication over a period of about six weeks, she successfully gained his trust. The fraudsters sent fake Canadian location data, bogus company documents, and investment agreements to convince the young man that he was on the verge of becoming a major business figure abroad. Later, they extorted ₹24 lakh from him under the guise of a “refundable security deposit” and “processing fees.” To raise this sum, Sahil was even forced to mortgage his ancestral land.
Case 2: In the second case, a young man working in the timber trade was promised an opportunity to settle abroad. The woman claimed to be a permanent resident of that country and proposed that he become her business partner. To further bolster his confidence, the fraudsters even arranged a video call interview featuring an individual posing as a visa officer. Subsequently, Amandeep was swindled out of ₹31 lakh under various pretexts involving fees and documentation. Later, when he had the agreement and the website scrutinized, errors in English were discovered, and the website itself turned out to be only three months old. By then, he had lost his entire life savings.
Case 3: Rajesh, a resident of Jalandhar, was ensnared by a woman from Dubai. The woman lured him with the promise of securing a luxury office space for him in Dubai. Gradually, she extracted ₹37 lakh from him under the guise of trade licenses, processing fees, and airfare. To raise this sum, Gurkeerat exhausted his family’s savings and even sold his mother’s jewelry. Ultimately, after falsely promising to send the flight tickets, the woman deactivated her social media account and blocked the young man.
What Cyber Experts Say
Cyber expert Palwinder Singh warns that blindly trusting the luxurious lifestyles and foreign business offers showcased on social media can be dangerous. It is imperative to verify the authenticity of any foreign job, business, or investment proposal through official government portals and authorized agencies.?
