Job Dream Turns Into Cyber Trap; Telangana Youth Rescued From Cambodia
According to officials, they grew suspicious after the victim failed to return even after the expiry of his visa.
Published : January 22, 2026 at 2:59 PM IST
Kothagudem: The dream of a high-paying job abroad turned into a nightmare here for a young man from Ashwaraopeta, who recently travelled to Cambodia on a tourist visa. What began as a promise of lucrative employment soon ended in harassment and forced involvement in cybercrime, once again exposing the dangerous trap being laid for unemployed youth through fake job advertisements on social media.
It is understood that the young man had travelled to Cambodia on a one-month tourist visa. When he failed to return even after the visa expired, airport authorities grew suspicious and alerted the Bhadradri Kothagudem district police. Acting swiftly, the police conducted an inquiry and discovered that the youth was stuck in a critical situation abroad. Officials traced his location and immediately shared the details with the Indian Embassy.
Following this, embassy officials found that several youths from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, including the young man from Ashwaraopeta, had fallen into the clutches of cybercrime gangs. With coordinated efforts, the embassy facilitated their rescue and ensured their safe return to their respective hometowns.
Police officials said this is not an isolated incident. Youth from Khammam and Bhadradri districts are increasingly being targeted by cybercriminals through misleading job advertisements on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Fraudsters promise salaries ranging from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.2 lakh per month, along with free accommodation and food. Many aspirants, attracted by these offers, agree to travel abroad without proper verification.
As part of the scam, agents insist that candidates travel on tourist visas instead of valid work permits, sometimes even arranging money for travel. However, once the youth reach countries like Cambodia or Thailand, their passports are confiscated, and they are taken to undisclosed locations. There, they are forced to participate in cyber fraud, mainly targeting Telugu-speaking people in India and cheating them in the name of online investments.
District police officials warned that working abroad on a tourist visa is illegal and puts individuals at serious risk. They advised youth to verify whether job consultancies are government-recognised and to use the Indian government’s e-Migrate portal for overseas employment. They also stressed the importance of verifying offer letters with the Indian Embassy in the respective country.
“If a job offer promises salaries far beyond your qualifications, it is a clear warning sign of fraud,” officials said.
Bhadradri Kothagudem SP Rohit Raju appealed to the youth not to fall prey to false promises. “Do not ruin your lives by believing the deceptive words of cybercriminals. Be vigilant about job advertisements on social media. Contact the concerned authorities for accurate information and take the right decisions,” he said.
Authorities urged families and job seekers to remain alert, as awareness and caution are the only ways to prevent such cyber traps.
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