New Delhi: Delhi Police have busted an alleged fake airline job racket and arrested six people, including the suspected mastermind, a website developer and three tele-callers, officials said on Monday. The gang allegedly targeted job seekers across India by advertising non-existent airline jobs and demanding money for compulsory aviation courses.
The racket was reportedly being operated using websites and social media advertisements under the names “Bretish Airways” and “Future Wings Learning Institute.” The accused allegedly promised candidates jobs at Indira Gandhi International Airport and collected between Rs 7,000 and Rs 10,000 as registration or admission fees.
The case came to light after a job seeker responded to a social media advertisement claiming to offer employment with “Bretish Airways”. After submitting his details, he was allegedly contacted by a woman posing as an HR executive named Karishma. She reportedly asked him to provide documents including his Aadhaar card, PAN card, educational marksheets and CV.
The complainant was subsequently told that an Airport/Aviation Management diploma from Future Wings Learning Institute was mandatory for securing the job. He allegedly transferred Rs 7,000 through UPI and later received what appeared to be an admission slip, NOC and job offer letter. He eventually discovered that the airline mentioned in the advertisement did not exist and that the people behind the offer had stopped responding. He then approached the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal through helpline 1930.
Delhi Police registered a case on July 14 and began analysing mobile numbers, internet records, website registration details and financial transactions. The investigation eventually led officers to Noida, where the alleged operators were traced.
Police arrested alleged mastermind Sandeep Kumar, 23, and his associate Akhil Kumar, 27, on August 18. Investigators said Sandeep had previously worked as a tele-caller for fake aviation-job companies before allegedly starting his own fraudulent operation.
The duo allegedly rented an office in Noida and hired a website developer to create convincing websites. They also reportedly obtained job-seeker data from online portals and employed tele-callers to contact candidates while posing as airline HR representatives. The callers allegedly persuaded applicants to pay for aviation courses before receiving their promised jobs.
According to police, the accused frequently changed offices, websites, SIM cards and mobile phones to avoid detection. After complaints began emerging against Bretish Airways, they allegedly shifted to new names, including Shankh Airways and Excellence Learning Institute.
Those arrested include website developer Rakesh Kumar, 47, and tele-callers Shweta, Sapna and Sakshi, 20, besides Sandeep and Akhil. Police seized two laptops, eight mobile phones, eight SIM cards and registers containing job-seeker information.
Police said at least 10 complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal have so far been linked to the alleged operation. The actual scale of the fraud is still being investigated, with authorities probing whether more victims and associates are involved.
The case highlights the risks faced by job seekers responding to attractive online recruitment advertisements. Police have urged candidates to verify employers and recruitment agencies before sharing personal documents or paying any registration or training fee.
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