Delhi Cyber Police bust fake placement racket 'Next Step Advisors', arrest 7
Synopsis
Seven people, including an alleged mastermind, have been arrested in Delhi for running a fake placement agency that lured unemployed youth with sham job interviews and then vanished with their money. The racket, operating without any registration, collected fees of up to ₹4,800 per victim and is linked to at least five separate cyber crime complaints — a reminder of how online job portals are being systematically exploited by fraudsters targeting desperate job seekers.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Cyber Police arrested 7 people on 4 August 2026 for running a fake placement agency named 'Next Step Advisors' in Uttam Nagar .
Victims were charged ₹3,000 to ₹4,800 each as registration or processing fees after sham interviews; no jobs were provided and no money was refunded.
The agency was not registered with any competent authority and operated from Building C-3, Jeevan Park, Som Bazar, Uttam Nagar .
Five complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) were linked to the same mobile numbers and bank accounts used by the accused.
Case registered as FIR No.
37/2026 on 1 August under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the BNS .
Citizens are advised to report cyber fraud via Helpline 1930 or the NCRP and to verify placement agency credentials before making any payment.
The Cyber Police Station, Central District, Delhi has dismantled a fraudulent job placement racket operating under the name 'Next Step Advisors' and arrested seven individuals, including the alleged mastermind, for cheating unemployed job seekers by collecting registration and processing fees under the false promise of employment. The bust, carried out on 4 August 2026, followed a complaint by a resident of Bapa Nagar, Karol Bagh and a subsequent probe that uncovered at least five linked complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
How the Racket Operated
According to investigators, the accused posted attractive job vacancies on online job portals and then reached out to unemployed individuals via WhatsApp messages and phone calls, posing as HR executives. Victims were invited to an office on the first floor of Building C-3, Jeevan Park, Som Bazar, Uttam Nagar for what police described as a 'sham interview', after which candidates were told they had been selected.
The accused then collected amounts ranging from ₹3,000 to ₹4,800 per victim as registration, processing, or account-opening charges, assuring them the money would be refunded upon joining. No jobs were ever provided, and the collected amounts were never returned. Once payments were received, calls and messages from victims were allegedly ignored.
The Complaint That Triggered the Probe
The case came to light after a Karol Bagh resident filed a complaint at the Cyber Police Station, Central District, alleging that on 24 July he received a WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be an HR representative of a job portal. He was called for an interview on 25 July at the Uttam Nagar office, where he paid ₹4,800 online and was handed a form bearing the name 'Next Step Advisors'. Neither employment nor a refund materialised, and the agency's mobile numbers subsequently went silent.
A case was formally registered as FIR No. 37/2026 on 1 August under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Investigation and Arrests
A special team comprising Sub Inspector Ankur Sejwal, Head Constables Diksha and Deepak was constituted under the supervision of the SHO of the Cyber Police Station and ACP Operations. The team conducted detailed technical analysis of mobile numbers, Paytm and UPI payment trails, and beneficiary bank accounts before raiding the Jeevan Park premises.
All seven accused were identified and apprehended. Seized materials include mobile phones, registration forms, and payment records. A cross-check of the NCRP confirmed five separate complaints from different victims were linked to the same mobile numbers and bank accounts used by the accused, strengthening the case.
Who Was Arrested
The seven arrested individuals are: Preeti Malhotra (34), a resident of Uttam Nagar and the alleged mastermind; Divya (33), Lalita alias Pinkey (32), Naina (33), and Priyanka (28), who allegedly served as HR executives; Kapil Kumar Sharma (30), a resident of Alwar, Rajasthan; and Lalit Kumar (28), a resident of Najafgarh, who allegedly worked as field staff. The agency was found to be operating without registration with any competent authority.
Police Advisory for Job Seekers
Delhi Police have urged citizens not to make any payments towards registration, processing, or account-opening charges without first verifying the credentials of a placement agency. Victims of cyber fraud are advised to report incidents immediately via the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Further investigation is underway to identify additional victims and determine the full scale of the fraud.
Point of View
Use legitimate-looking job portals as bait, and vanish after collecting small-enough sums that many victims do not bother filing complaints. The fact that only five NCRP complaints surfaced for what was clearly a larger operation suggests significant under-reporting — a structural problem that lets such rackets run longer than they should. Delhi Police's reliance on UPI and Paytm trails is an encouraging sign that digital payment forensics is maturing, but the absence of mandatory registration verification for placement agencies remains the regulatory gap that makes this fraud so easy to replicate. Until job portals are held accountable for vetting advertisers, the next 'Next Step Advisors' is already in business.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the 'Next Step Advisors' placement scam in Delhi?
'Next Step Advisors' was an unregistered fake placement agency operating out of Uttam Nagar, Delhi, that lured unemployed job seekers with sham interviews and then collected registration and processing fees of ₹3,000 to ₹4,800 per victim, promising jobs that were never provided. Delhi Cyber Police arrested seven people linked to the racket on 4 August 2026.
How did the Delhi fake placement racket operate?
The accused posted fake job vacancies on online portals and contacted job seekers via WhatsApp, posing as HR executives. Victims were called to an Uttam Nagar office for a sham interview, told they were selected, and then asked to pay fees as a precondition for joining. After payment, the accused stopped responding to calls and messages.
Who are the seven people arrested in the Delhi job fraud case?
The seven arrested are Preeti Malhotra (34) of Uttam Nagar, the alleged mastermind; HR executives Divya (33), Lalita alias Pinkey (32), Naina (33), and Priyanka (28); Kapil Kumar Sharma (30) of Alwar, Rajasthan; and field staff Lalit Kumar (28) of Najafgarh. All face charges under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
What legal sections were invoked in the Delhi placement scam FIR?
The case was registered as FIR No. 37/2026 on 1 August 2026 under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with cheating and criminal conspiracy respectively.
How can job seekers protect themselves from fake placement agencies?
Delhi Police advise citizens to verify the registration credentials of any placement agency before making any payment and to never pay registration, processing, or account-opening fees without independent verification. Victims of such fraud should immediately report to the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or file a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
