Background and Timeline: Reported on February 7, 2026, the case involved a woman software developer job seeker who was targeted through online professional portals. The enforcement drive by the Cyberabad Police was carried out between January 30 and February 5, 2026, as part of a wider crackdown on recruitment-based fraud. The investigation was initiated after the victim realized that the promise of a position at a multinational firm was a complete fabrication.
Modus Operandi: Fraudsters impersonated the job portal Naukri.com and the multinational firm Deloitte, conducting sham interviews to build a veneer of legitimacy. They demanded money from the victim under various pretexts, including application fees, interview charges, and processing costs for a software developer role. After receiving multiple payments, they stopped responding and failed to issue any appointment letter or provide any form of refund.
Victims and Financial Impact: The victim was coerced into transferring a total of ₹20.8 lakh through multiple transactions before the scammers cut off all communication. During the same enforcement week, the Cyberabad Police managed to secure refund orders for other victims totaling over ₹1.04 crore in 58 separate cases. This highlights the extreme financial damage being inflicted on the urban tech-literate workforce in Telangana.
Investigation and Agencies Involved: The Cyber Crime Wing of the Cyberabad Police tracked the financial trail through multiple mule bank accounts used to layer and distance the stolen funds. Investigators coordinated with the banking nodal officers to identify the suppliers of the bank kits and SIM cards. They analyzed the communication logs from the sham interview process to locate the digital footprints of the organizers.
Arrests and Suspects: Two accused individuals, Purshottam Sharma and Kuldeep Kumar alias Sunil, were arrested from Delhi for their roles in the module. Sharma was identified as the main organizer of the fraud, while Sunil was found to be the supplier of SIM cards and bank accounts on a commission basis. Further efforts are underway to identify the broader network of callers and tech specialists linked to the syndicate.
Broader Implications and Trends: The case highlights the rising sophistication of “recruitment fraud” where attackers leverage the reputations of major MNCs like Deloitte to bypass victim skepticism. Authorities advised the public to verify employers through official channels and reiterated that genuine companies do not charge money for job applications or interviews. This reflects a trend of targeting highly educated software professionals with realistic career lures.