Rising Unemployment: Youths Deceived by Job Scams, Many Trapped Abroad

The dire state of unemployment is driving youths into the clutches of fraudsters. Some leave home with dreams of a well-paying job abroad, only to find themselves ensnared in scams. In one recent case from Agra, a young man was reportedly held captive in South Africa.

Desperate for work, unemployed individuals are being duped with false promises of jobs. Fraudsters particularly target adolescents, teenagers, and young adults from rural and economically weaker backgrounds. In Agra, a scam network is actively preying on individuals by offering free meals, accommodation, a motorbike, and a ?20,000 salary.

Areas like Fatehabad, Bah, Shamsabad, Kagarol, and Trans Yamuna are among the hotspots for such activities. Scammers and commission agents show them lofty dreams and lure them to Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Bengaluru, and even South Africa. However, upon reaching, many face deception and are forced to endure 4 to 6 months of tough conditions before fleeing.

Some victims are held hostage, lamenting their fate, while others are compelled to work without pay. A teenager who managed to escape from Uttarakhand shared his ordeal. He was confined to a factory for four months, not allowed to leave, and forced to share a single room with eight others. Meals were provided only twice a day, and when he asked for his salary, the owner claimed it was being saved and would be paid upon departure.