Online jobs scam: FIA nabs four suspects
Cases registered against Advertclicking owner, along with three associates.
RAWALPINDI:
The cyber crime circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested four suspected fraudsters in an over Rs200 million internet job scam.
A gang of fraudsters allegedly collected over Rs200 million from people who were offered five different online job packages on a website called Advertclicking.
FIA Deputy Director Cyber Crime Circle Shahzad Haider said online ad clicking work is an illegal business and action in accordance with the law is being taken against those found involved in it.
FIA Investigation Officer Gohar Ali Shah informed that Amir Shahzad, owner of Advertclicking, has been arrested along with three associates from Bakra Mandi, Kamalabad. A case has been registered against him.
Shah further said preliminary investigation revealed that Amir, the main accused, collected over Rs200 million during one and half year from over 6,000 members of the website.
He added that hundreds of citizens are filing claims amounting to millions of rupees at FIA against the sham company.
The investigation officer informed that Amir was in the FIA’s custody on a four-day physical remand and further investigation into the case is under way.
Earlier, another fraudster identified as Atif, the owner of Digitalclicking, was arrested in a similar case from Ckakri Road area, he said.
Gohar said FIA initially received a complaint against Advertclicking. This complaint led to an investigation and the subsequent arrests.
A victim of the scam, Asif, said advertisements offering jobs paying Rs10,000 to Rs45,000 per month are put up by various agencies all over the internet and many people have become their victims. He urged the government to make strict laws to prevent such frauds.
Such scams are a form of advance fee fraud scamming, where certain unscrupulous people pose as entrepreneurs offering part time, full time and online job opportunities, which requires the job seeker to pay them money in advance, usually under the guise of a registration fee.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2014.
The cyber crime circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested four suspected fraudsters in an over Rs200 million internet job scam.
A gang of fraudsters allegedly collected over Rs200 million from people who were offered five different online job packages on a website called Advertclicking.
FIA Deputy Director Cyber Crime Circle Shahzad Haider said online ad clicking work is an illegal business and action in accordance with the law is being taken against those found involved in it.
FIA Investigation Officer Gohar Ali Shah informed that Amir Shahzad, owner of Advertclicking, has been arrested along with three associates from Bakra Mandi, Kamalabad. A case has been registered against him.
Shah further said preliminary investigation revealed that Amir, the main accused, collected over Rs200 million during one and half year from over 6,000 members of the website.
He added that hundreds of citizens are filing claims amounting to millions of rupees at FIA against the sham company.
The investigation officer informed that Amir was in the FIA’s custody on a four-day physical remand and further investigation into the case is under way.
Earlier, another fraudster identified as Atif, the owner of Digitalclicking, was arrested in a similar case from Ckakri Road area, he said.
Gohar said FIA initially received a complaint against Advertclicking. This complaint led to an investigation and the subsequent arrests.
A victim of the scam, Asif, said advertisements offering jobs paying Rs10,000 to Rs45,000 per month are put up by various agencies all over the internet and many people have become their victims. He urged the government to make strict laws to prevent such frauds.
Such scams are a form of advance fee fraud scamming, where certain unscrupulous people pose as entrepreneurs offering part time, full time and online job opportunities, which requires the job seeker to pay them money in advance, usually under the guise of a registration fee.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2014.