Lucknow: An inter-state cyber fraud racket that duped job seekers of Rs 7.80 crore by luring them with fake recruitment offers in the UP health department has been busted in Gonda. Police arrested two accused and seized Rs 1.11 crore in multiple bank accounts operated by them.Gonda SP Vineet Jaiswal said the accused, Sudhir Kumar Gupta and Brijesh Mishra, were arrested on Wednesday and five mobile phones recovered from them. The gang used to paste posters of job offers near bus stands and railway stations across several states, including UP, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka and Telangana. Job seekers who called on the mobile numbers mentioned in the posters were trapped by the accused.The duo would collect money from job seekers on the pretext of registration, interviews, training and joining formalities. Victims were even sent fake training letters to build credibility. The money collected was routed through “mule accounts” (rented bank accounts) whose account holders received a 20% commission.The racket came to light in Feb 2026 after a victim lodged a police complaint in Chhattisgarh. Technical surveillance through coordination portals led police to mobile numbers operating from Gonda, though SIM cards were issued in other states. Police said the gang was active for 18 months and used at least 51 bank accounts for the fraud. Over 25 complaints were registered against the accused in different states.Gonda SP said victims of cyber fraud should immediately dial the helpline 1930 or report incidents on the cybercrime portal. The police team involved in cracking the case was awarded Rs25,000.
