In a significant breakthrough, Fort police arrested 44-year-old John Varghese from Pathanapuram for defrauding several people through a fraudulent teaching job scheme. The accused had been advertising fake teaching job vacancies on e-commerce platforms, convincing job seekers to pay a fee for interviews that were never conducted.
Over the past few years, Varghese reportedly targeted numerous individuals, collecting sums ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 from each victim. Since the amounts involved were small, most victims hesitated to file complaints, allowing the scam to continue for a prolonged period.
Varghese posted advertisements on popular e-commerce sites for teaching positions at reputed schools across the state. Interested job seekers would send in their resumes and be scheduled for interviews. However, a day before the interview, the accused would contact the victims, convincing them to pay a fee of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 to secure the job, assuring them that the interview would be a mere formality.
The accused cleverly circumvented detection by asking victims to transfer the money through QR codes of various local shops, claiming he needed the funds urgently. This tactic allowed him to evade direct bank tracing, as the money was funneled into accounts controlled by shopkeepers.
Varghese’s fraudulent activities went unchecked for months, as the shopkeepers provided the QR codes, preventing the police from tracing his identity through direct account information. However, his arrest by the Fort police brings an end to this widespread scam.
The authorities have urged individuals who may have fallen victim to similar frauds to come forward and assist in the investigation. Varghese’s case highlights the growing risks of online fraud, particularly on e-commerce platforms, and the need for vigilance when applying for jobs online.
