Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-02-20 08:40:43
Police officers in India made a significant breakthrough on Monday when they arrested three men aged 35, 40, and 48 for conning desperate jobseekers of Ksh1.6 million (rs 970,000) in what was purported to be a facilitation of securing lucrative jobs in Kenya. The suspects were apprehended in Odisha, Brahmapur, an administrative area situated in the Eastern part of India.
According to reports from media outlets in India, the three men are believed to have swindled the quoted amount from approximately 20 Indian nationals looking for job opportunities. The victims were lured with promises of securing well-paying jobs at a construction firm in Kenya. They were required to make an advance payment to cover travel and related expenses.
The police disclosed that the suspects had already processed fake tourist visas and passports to convince the victims of their credibility. However, after the victims had made their payments, the suspects became unresponsive and failed to provide the promised travel documents. It is also reported that the suspects resorted to hurling insults at the aggrieved job seekers.
As a result of the complaints received, the police took swift action and apprehended the trio. At the time of their arrest, 92 passports, applicant information, screenshots of financial transactions, and 20 Kenyan tourist visas were confiscated. Further investigations revealed that the suspects had defrauded numerous other jobseekers in the past. Their scam typically involved promising overseas jobs and demanding large sums of money from their victims.
The authorities have initiated investigations to ascertain the legitimacy of the construction firm in Kenya that the suspects claimed to be representing. The episode is just one of many fraudulent schemes targeting vulnerable jobseekers, with the high cost of living being partly attributed to the rising trend of scams worldwide. Con artists have devised new methods to swindle unsuspecting individuals, often requiring upfront fees to secure employment.
This incident follows concerns raised by Indians in May 2023, regarding an increase in spam calls from foreign numbers, including those from Kenya. The calls were primarily made through WhatsApp, with the callers promising job opportunities to unsuspecting individuals.
The arrest of the three suspects in India serves as a warning to jobseekers to remain vigilant and cautious when pursuing overseas job opportunities. It also highlights the importance of thorough research and verification before making any financial commitments to secure employment abroad. The investigation is ongoing, and the authorities are working diligently to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent future occurrences of such fraudulent activities targeting jobseekers.
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