A 25-year-old mechanical engineering graduate from Ghatkopar has fallen victim to a sophisticated job scam that cost him Rs. 2.64 lakh. The scammers lured him with the promise of a lucrative job in Canada and sent forged documents, including offer letters, visa approvals, and bank communications, all of which later turned out to be fake. The Ghatkopar Police have registered a case in connection with the incident.
According to the FIR, the victim, Neel Shamji Gami, a resident of Karani Lane, Ghatkopar (West), was actively searching for overseas job opportunities when he came across a contact number for a company called Bright Steps Services based in Punjab. On June 1, he reached out and was contacted by a woman who identified herself as Bhavika Goyal. She claimed the firm could provide job placements abroad and take care of all visa-related formalities.
On June 4, Bhavika sent Neel an offer letter on WhatsApp, allegedly from Webley Corporation in Canada, which included his name. She instructed him to print, sign, and return the final page. Neel complied. Over the next few days, Bhavika continued to send Neel documents on what appeared to be official letterheads of companies, asking for signatures and payments at every step.
Subsequently, Bhavika demanded an "application cost" for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) document, asking for 1,000 Canadian dollars. She later said only 510 CAD (Rs.30,600) needed to be paid initially and provided the Axis Bank account number of a person named Gurusevak Singh for payment.
Neel paid the amount. On June 13, he received an LMIA update PDF and was again asked to sign and return it. On June 16, Bhavika requested Rs. 84,000 for biometric updates. Neel made the payment. Then on June 18, she sent him a document labeled as an “enrollment letter” from VFS Global, complete with his name, passport number, and biometric appointment date.
The deception began to unravel on June 30, when Bhavika sent a letter on what appeared to be ICICI Bank letterhead, asking for another 2,500 CAD (₹1.5 lakh) to open a Canadian bank account. Suspicious, Neel visited a local ICICI Bank branch, where officials confirmed the letter was fake. On July 2, he visited the VFS Global office in Mahalaxmi, Mumbai, where staff informed him that all the documents he had received were fraudulent.
Realising he had been scammed, Neel contacted Bhavika again. She insisted the Canadian company had managed all correspondence and that he must pay 2,500 CAD more to “complete” the process and a refund further confirming the fraudulent nature of the operation.
Neel promptly reported the matter to the Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) and then lodged a formal complaint at Ghatkopar Police Station. A case has been registered under sections 318(4), 319(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
