Chandigarh, Sep 11 (PTI) Twenty-five travel agents in Punjab have been booked for illegally advertising employment opportunities on social media, said police on Wednesday.
The action came after the Protector of Emigrants under the Ministry of External Affairs red-flagged the advertising on social media for jobs in foreign countries by such unscrupulous travel agencies.
In a statement, Additional Director General of Police (NRI Affairs) Praveen K Sinha said these travel agencies were advertising jobs abroad without possessing the requisite licence and permissions.
“We checked the online platforms, verified their credentials covertly and registered FIRs against them,” he said, adding that a total of 20 FIRs have been registered under the Emigration Acts at various NRI police stations in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and SAS Nagar.
The ADGP said this operation specifically targeted those illegal travel agents, who were advertising on online platforms, offering promising overseas jobs to unsuspecting victims, mostly youths, and fleecing them of their or their parents’ hard-earned money.
Further investigation is on, he added.
Sinha exhorted citizens to be cautious and verify travel agents’ credentials before entrusting them with documents and money. PTI CHS RT RT
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