Caution! WhatsApp job scams leave Indians stranded in Middle East

• Nine Indian working professionals have been stranded in the United Arab Emirates(UAE) after being assured on WhatsApp that they will get jobs in the country.
  
• The victims claimed that they paid over ₹70,000 to get visitor visas for UAE.
  
• According to the Indian embassy in Dubai, there are nearly 40 such cases and police investigations are on.
  
• The UAE extended 2,394 new licenses to foreign nationals in June this year — including Indians.
  
• Fake recruiters duped over 75 Indian employees in Qatar in the month of April.

In the backdrop of rising unemployment in India, the desperation for jobs has led to many scams and fake job scams.

Lured by such fake job offers in Dubai, nine Indian working professionals have been left stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The job seekers were assured jobs in Dubai via social media platforms like WhatsApp.

"A WhatsApp message that promised jobs in the UAE within 15 days was being widely shared in Kerala, and I also received the forwarded message. I really thought it was genuine as many people were showing interest," TOI reported citing one of the victims, Fazil.

Claiming to be jobless at the moment, the victims said that they spent over ₹70,000 to get visitor visas for UAE by racketeers in Kerala.

"I chatted with the agent who convinced me that I will have a job in a supermarket as soon as I land. He told me I will get Dh1,200 as monthly salary and free food and accommodation. I was going through tough times, and thought it would be a good start for me," said Fazil, a qualified technician.

When they landed in Dubai, that they realised they had been tricked. According to the victims, a local agent took them to Ajman and Al Ain. The Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi has now pitched in to send them back home.

This is, however, not the only case. Last month, five men were left without jobs in Dubai, who moved on visitor visas to the country.

"We have reported about 40 such cases to Indian authorities and police investigations are on. That is important to deter these illegal agents from duping more people," the embassy told The Khaleej Times.

The embassy has thus warned the jobseekers to use official channels and follow immigration rules.

On the flipside, the UAE extended 2,394 new licenses to foreign nationals in June this year — including Indians.

Fake recruitments have duped over 75 Indian employees in Qatar as well, in the name of a company Ceprotec. The candidates gave their passports to the recruiters and also paid nearly ₹65,000 for visas.

Company job portals and embassies have now started to warn potential job seekers on their website about fake job offers.

See also:
The UAE government is wooing Indian teachers — offering 10 times higher pay than their current