Jaipur, Aug 11 (PTI): The Rajasthan Police has warned youngsters against overseas job offers, saying cybercrime syndicates are luring job seekers abroad with promises of high salaries before confiscating their passports and forcing them into online fraud.
The Cyber Crime Branch of Rajasthan Police has issued an advisory urging youngsters and their families to thoroughly verify overseas job offers before accepting them, amid growing instances of job seekers being trapped in "cyber slavery".
Additional Director General of Police (Cyber Crime) V K Singh said international scam syndicates are targeting unemployed and ambitious youngsters with offers of high salaries, free accommodation and other facilities in Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
After reaching these countries, victims may have their passports and other documents confiscated, be held captive and forced to carry out online fraud, he said.
According to the advisory, cybercriminals circulate attractive job advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp for positions such as data entry operators, customer support executives, IT professionals, hotel waiters and work-from-home jobs. Such advertisements are sometimes also published in newspapers.
In several cases, youngsters are sent abroad on tourist visas instead of valid employment visas after being assured of jobs without proper verification, police said.
Once they reach the destination country, agents or members of the syndicate may take possession of their passports and mobile phones and force them to participate in online fraud, the advisory said.
Victims who fail to meet assigned targets may face threats as well as physical or mental harassment. The gangs may also demand ransom from their families in India, police warned.
Rajasthan Police has advised youngsters to verify the credentials and registration of recruitment agencies before travelling abroad for employment and to travel only on valid employment visas.
"Do not travel abroad on a tourist visa for the purpose of taking up employment," the advisory said.
Police also advised those travelling abroad for jobs to keep digital copies of their passports, visas and employment contracts safely with their families and carry the contact details of the Indian embassy in the destination country.
They have also been advised not to make advance payments to unregistered agents in the name of securing jobs and not to blindly trust unfamiliar job advertisements published on social media or in newspapers.
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This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.