Kolkata: A software engineer from Salt Lake employed with an Indian multinational company was duped of Rs 6.7 lakh by a fake placement agency that offered him a job as a team lead at a Dublin-based MNC.
Riju Saha of Purbachal in Salt Lake filed a complaint with Bidhannagar South PS on Tuesday, accusing Hiring Expert — a recruitment agency claiming to operate from Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai — of orchestrating the scam.
Saha initially responded to a job opportunity query on a job portal this Aug. He was contacted by an individual named Shivraj, who presented himself as a representative of Hiring Expert.
The agency claimed over 18 years of experience in placing candidates in reputable global firms and directed Saha to their website.
Saha submitted his personal details, including salary slips and a copy of his passport, after which the agency claimed his credentials were shortlisted for a team lead position at the MNC.
"He underwent two staged online interviews conducted by individuals impersonating HR officials of the company. Following these interviews, Saha was coerced into making multiple payments totalling Rs 6.4 lakh citing various charges," said a senior officer of Bidhannagar City Police.
On Sept 1, he received a purported Letter of Intent (LOI), claiming a senior VP role at the firm with an annual CTC of Rs 1.3 crore, conditioned on remitting a further "security deposit" of approximately Rs 6.5 lakh. Growing suspicious, Saha refrained from further payments and filed the complaint.
Police have registered the case for investigation under cheating, forgery, and cyber fraud charges.