Pune: A 32-year-old software professional from Balewadi has lodged a police complaint after being defrauded of Rs42 lakh by online scammers promising a lucrative job in the Netherlands.The fraud occurred between April and June this year. Following a preliminary probe, the techie registered an FIR with the Pune Cyber Police and the Baner police on Tuesday.Senior inspector Chandrashekhar Sawant of the Baner police told TOI, “The complainant and his wife previously lived in Singapore before shifting to Pune a couple of years ago. Seeking to return abroad, the techie began searching for overseas opportunities that would allow both him and his wife — also a software professional — to relocate.”The victim reportedly clicked on an online advertisement promising high-paying roles in the Netherlands. He soon began communicating with the suspects via email. The scammers requested his educational certificates and professional experience documents, which the victim provided to complete the “application process.”“After reviewing the documents, the fraudsters informed him that he had secured a position with a Dutch software firm and even issued a fake appointment letter,” inspector Sawant added.Under the guise of processing a work permit, visa fees, documentation for his wife, and service charges, the scammers coerced the victim into making multiple payments. Trusting the process, the techie transferred a total of Rs42 lakh across five different Indian bank accounts.A major red flag went unnoticed during the transactions: “While the fraudsters claimed to represent a company based in the Netherlands, all the bank accounts provided for the payments were registered with Indian banks,” Sawant noted.The scam came to light when the complainant contacted the Dutch company directly to verify his start date. Company officials informed him that no such appointment letter had ever been issued. Realising he had been duped, the techie approached the authorities.The police are currently tracing the money trail and investigating the ownership of the five bank accounts used in the crime..
