IT job scams dog Vizag fresh grads

Fresh engineering graduates in Visakhapatnam are increasingly falling victim to fraudulent IT companies that exploit their desperation for jobs, leading to emotional and financial distress. These scammers prey on young professionals eager to start their careers, often leaving them devastated.
In a recent case, several victims were forced to pay Rs 1.5 lakh each just to resign from fake jobs. A parent of one such victim shared, “It’s heartbreaking to see our children, full of hope and ambition, fall prey to such deceit.”
The downturn in the global IT sector has worsened the situation, with fewer job opportunities available. Every year, thousands of engineering graduates from the Uttarandhra region enter the job market, making them prime targets for fraudsters. These fake companies use various tactics to deceive job seekers. “They promised us great jobs but demanded a deposit of Rs 2 lakh.
After giving us fake offer letters, they disappeared,” recalled one victim. In another shocking incident near Green Park Hotel, around 40 job seekers were defrauded of Rs 70 lakh. The company rented office space for just one day, conducted interviews, and vanished without a trace. Earlier this year, another company recruited 30 graduates, promising annual salaries of Rs 1.8 lakh. However, these recruits were forced to pay advance cheques of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.
 Despite promises of training and salary increases, most were never assigned any work or given the training they were promised.
“I asked about my work assignment, and they mocked me, saying I wasn’t capable,” shared one frustrated employee. Those who chose to resign were further harassed, with their certificates and cheques held back. The company demanded an additional Rs 3 lakh to release these documents. “We felt helpless. We had no choice but to pay up to get our children’s documents back,” said one distressed parent.
As a result, many parents turned to the police and a local MLA for help. Although the MLA intervened, the company still insisted on the Rs 1.5 lakh payment to return the certificates.