Fraud syndicates extorting money from job seekers

Fake job frauds are on the rise with every passing day as organized thugs continue to allure unemployed people offering them attractive jobs, and in the process extorting crores of taka from the victims.

Sob seekers lacking information access to job providers fall into such traps, leaving them only to endure frustration and agony.

According to law enforcers amid the pandemic just after re-opening of government and non-government offices,several con cliques became active.

Yesterday, police have arrested a man named Aminul Islam Lalu (42) on charges of embezzling crores of taka who offered common people a sheer volume of ‘fake jobs’ at the airport.

Jisanul Haque, assistant superintendent of police at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said an organized gang had extorted money from more than two hundred people in the name of offering various positions in air cargo at Shahjalal Airport. 

A victim Lalu said he gave Taka 2 lakh from a man named Perth Pal for a job of  a peon, he added.

Earlier on 8th September, CID arrested five people in Dhaka on charges of embezzling money from people in the name of offering jobs. Several people on that day complained that they were given fake recruitment papers after they gave money to the accused for jobs.

In the meantime, the CID has arrested a fake major and his accomplice from Shibalaya in Manikganj on charges of extorting money from six people in Nacholupazila of Chapainawabganj for promising them jobs in the military. The imposter was identified as Abzal Khan, 50, son of Jinnat Ali of Dakshin Dhangara village in Gaibandha district and his accomplice Abdus Sattar, son of Almas Ali of Shibalaya in Manikganj.

Talking to The Bangladesh Post, crime analyst MokhlesurRahamanattributed unawareness of commoners regarding jobs to such fraudulent act. He said, “People especially in village areas think that to get a job at first they need to pay a bulk of money. It’s a misconception, and the fraudsters only target those less educated people. In my opinion, as they are getting caught this may conveya message to society that no one will be spared after cheating.”

Youth rights activist Shamol Roy told The Bangladesh Post, that “The news of cheating in the name of giving jobs is not a new incident. Occasionally rackets are being caught, but even after that this is happening again and again. There are loopholes with the law.”

“There is a lack of employment in Bangladesh. Millions of young people are unemployed even with higher education. This fraudulent cycle is taking advantage of their helplessness, and their roots are very deep.”

The law enforcement agencies have to take strict action in that regard as people also need to be aware of such act. Appropriate punishment of the fraudsters can stop such crimes and misdeeds, he added.

He stressed that they want proper implementation of the law to protect the poor and helpless people from swindlers.