Ludhiana: Instagram work permit scam: Woman loses ₹25 lakh to fake immigration firm, 4 booked

Four people were booked for allegedly duping a woman of ₹25 lakh via a fake immigration consultancy on Instagram, promising Canadian residency.

Four people have been booked for allegedly duping a 38-year-old woman from Payal of ₹25 lakh by posing as an immigration consultancy on Instagram, promising her a Canadian work permit and permanent residency. An FIR in connection with the case was registered on Tuesday at the cyber crime police station in Khanna.

An FIR in connection with the case was registered at the cyber crime police station in Khanna on Tuesday. (HT File)

The fraud came to light on February 27 when Amandeep Kaur of Mahpur village in Payal was prevented from boarding a flight at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, after the airport authorities discovered that her visa was fake.

Amandeep told police that while scrolling through Instagram, she came across a post advertising an immigration firm that claimed it only collected fees after issuing visas. She called on their toll-free number on the post and was asked to submit documents to initiate the process. The accused assured her of a two-year work permit and assistance with permanent residency. Believing them, she transferred ₹15 lakh to a bank account on November 5, 2024, and later another ₹10 lakh after being told that her visa had arrived.

According to Amandeep, when she demanded her money back from the immigration consultancy, the accused began threatening her. The woman then lodged a police complaint on May 15.

Following her complaint, the case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 318(4) for cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property; 336, 338, 336(2), 340(2) for forgery; and section 66 D of the Information Technology Act for cheating by personation using computer resources.

The accused have been identified as Patel Shilpaben of Surat, Gujarat; Kuljit Pal Singh of Kot Ise Khan; Jaskaran Singh of Amritsar; and Rahul Sharma of Rani Bagh, Delhi.

Investigations revealed that the gang operated through Instagram posts, creating fake documentation to lure victims and secure large sums of money.

Police officials stated that a hunt is underway to arrest all accused involved in the scam.