A 53-year-old amateur chef from Delhi, dreaming of securing his daughters' futures, fell victim to a sophisticated interstate cyber fraud syndicate that promised him a lucrative overseas job. The scam, which began on WhatsApp, drained him of Rs 1.73 lakh before the Delhi Police cracked down, arresting three individuals including an MBA graduate and an assistant bank manager.
The Dream That Turned Into a Trap
Arun, a father of three living in Delhi's Palam area, had been struggling financially since losing his steady chef job at a Kochi resort in 2023. Surviving on sporadic canteen contracts, his monthly earnings rarely exceeded Rs 30,000. With two daughters aged 26 and 23 to marry off, the prospect of a foreign job was a beacon of hope. In August 2025, a fellow chef recommended a Bengaluru-based 'agency' named Educate Consultancy, which advertised overseas positions in a WhatsApp group called 'FLYABROAD 6'.
Having worked in Japan from 2001 to 2010, Arun was enticed by the promise of foreign currency earnings. He contacted the group admin, a man who identified himself as 'Kiran'. To build trust, Kiran shared his Aadhaar card on WhatsApp and spoke with a Kannada accent. The group was filled with convincing visuals—immigration papers, e-visas, and videos of clients at airports.
The Unraveling of a Elaborate Scam
Kiran initially quoted Rs 2.80 lakh for the entire process, including tickets and visa facilitation, but negotiated down to Rs 2.25 lakh. In late August, Kiran presented a specific opportunity: a hotel in Auckland needed a chef skilled in Japanese cuisine. The first payment of Rs 25,000 was demanded for embassy paperwork, which Arun paid using a loan from a friend.
Subsequently, Arun received a fake appointment letter and an e-visa copy, for which he paid Rs 15,000 and then another Rs 10,000. On September 6, he was asked for a hefty Rs 1.48 lakh for flight tickets, which he paid. He even received flight tickets dated September 7, showing a journey from Mumbai.
Doubts arose when Arun could not locate Kiran's purported Shivaji Nagar office in Bengaluru online. "The last text I received was on September 15. I kept calling…", a distraught Arun recounted. After being fed excuses about an ill mother, Kiran vanished. Arun approached the police on September 20, leading to an FIR at the Cyber Police Station of Southwest district on October 7.
The Syndicate and Arrests
On December 2, 2025, the Delhi Police announced the arrest of three men for running this interstate cyber fraud operation. The accused were identified as Ketan Deepak Kumar (24) from Gujarat, a B.Tech dropout and travel agent; Sanjib Mondal (34) from West Bengal, an MBA graduate from Doon Business School; and Ravi Kumar Mishra (29), an assistant manager at Sarvodaya Bank and former Yes Bank employee.
Police revealed the gang's modus operandi: they lured job seekers with fake overseas offers, used forged documents to open 'mule' bank accounts, and layered transactions to hide the money trail. The cheated funds were first deposited into a Yes Bank mule account before being moved to another account to disguise their origin.
DCP (Southwest) Amit Goel detailed the arrests: Ketan was arrested from Rishikesh on November 9, Sanjib from Kolkata on November 13, and Ravi from Gurgaon on November 17. Police recovered six mobile phones, two laptops, and Rs 50,000 linked to the fraud. The trio played distinct roles: Ketan coordinated mule accounts, Sanjib posed as the job consultant, and Ravi used his banking position to open accounts for a commission.
This case highlights the perils of digital job fraud and the sophisticated methods employed by cybercriminals who exploit the desperation of individuals seeking better opportunities.
