Chandigarh: Retired army captain loses ₹85,000 to job scam

The fraudsters, operating under the name “Prefect Solution Security Service,” assured the victim that they were exclusively hiring retired soldiers to open a branch in Una

Cyber criminals duped a retired army officer of ₹85,000 under the guise of offering employment opportunities for ex-servicemen.

The victim was promised a salary of ₹42,500 per month and was asked to deposit ₹42,500 upfront, followed by another ₹42,500 upon opening of the branch. (HT)

Captain Rakesh Kumar (retd), a resident of Una, Himachal Pradesh, told police that he responded to a newspaper advertisement three to four months ago. The advertisement promised job opportunities for retired junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and provided a contact number for further inquiries. Upon contacting the number, Kumar was invited to an office in Sector 17-C, Chandigarh.

The fraudsters, operating under the name “Prefect Solution Security Service,” assured Kumar that they were exclusively hiring retired soldiers to open a branch in Una. They required an initial security deposit, equivalent to two months’ salary. Kumar was promised a salary of ₹42,500 per month and was asked to deposit ₹42,500 upfront, followed by another ₹42,500 upon opening of the branch.

Subsequently, the fraudsters demanded an additional ₹42,500 for expenses related to licensing and ID cards, which Kumar also paid. Despite these payments, the fraudsters repeatedly delayed the process, eventually ceasing all communication and switching off their phones.

Kumar, who had been in contact with the scammers through WhatsApp, filed a complaint on February 28. Following an inquiry and approval from senior officers, a case under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Mauli Jagran police station on Thursday.