Noida Police Cracks Down on Elaborate Cruise Job Scam, Apprehends Six Accused
In a significant crackdown on organized fraud, the Noida police have successfully busted a sophisticated fake call centre operation and arrested six individuals, including the alleged ringleader of the gang. The group stands accused of cheating approximately 350 people under the false pretext of securing lucrative employment opportunities on cruise ships, resulting in total financial losses estimated at around Rs 1.5 crore.
Police Operation Based on Confidential Intelligence
Acting swiftly on a confidential tip-off, officers from the Sector 113 police station initiated a targeted operation. During a routine patrol and check near Mahadev Apartments in Sector 73, authorities spotted two individuals behaving suspiciously. Upon noticing the police presence, the suspects attempted to flee the scene, leading officers on a pursuit into the Anthurium Business Park complex.
The chase culminated on the eighth floor of the building, where police apprehended the two fleeing men along with four women from a rented office space. This location served as the operational base for the fraudulent call centre, which had been leased for Rs 50,000 per month under the deceptive business name ‘M/s Recruit Service’. A comprehensive search is currently underway to identify and locate any remaining accomplices connected to this criminal network.
Detailed Profiles of the Arrested Accused
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Noida) Manisha Singh, the arrested individuals have been identified as Sarim Khan, Shoaib Khan, Ritika, Khushi alias Khushboo, Mantasha Abbasi, and Fatima. Interrogation sessions have revealed that Sarim Khan, a BCom graduate, functioned as the mastermind and operational leader of the entire scam.
Sarim was responsible for renting the commercial premises and establishing the infrastructure for the illicit call centre. The gang systematically advertised their fraudulent services across various social media platforms using the attractive banner ‘We Are Hiring’ to lure potential victims.
Sophisticated Modus Operandi of the Fraudulent Operation
The scam operated through a well-coordinated division of labor among the accused. Mantasha Abbasi, who holds an MBA degree, and Khushi, a BBA graduate, managed initial communications with interested job seekers who responded to the social media advertisements. Their role involved building trust and presenting credible employment opportunities.
Shoaib Khan, Ritika, and Fatima were tasked with facilitating the registration process and collecting fraudulent fees from victims. Under the guise of processing job applications and securing positions, they instructed targets to deposit amounts ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 lakh into multiple bank accounts controlled by the gang.
Once payments were received, the accused would deliberately stall and evade further communication with victims. When defrauded individuals attempted to contact them for updates or refunds, the perpetrators would block their numbers, destroy the SIM cards used in the criminal communications, and discard them to eliminate digital trails.
Substantial Evidence Recovered During Raid
Sector 113 Station House Officer Vipin Kumar confirmed that police have seized significant evidence from the raided premises. The recovered items include five computer monitors, five central processing units (CPUs), two SIM cards, an ATM card, seven mobile phones, one laptop, one router, two cheque books, and various other documents and electronic equipment.
This evidence is currently undergoing forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation, which aims to uncover the full extent of the criminal network and identify all victims defrauded in this elaborate scheme.
