PUNE: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has warned the public against falling prey to fraudulent recruitment advertisements. AAI issued a notice regarding this on Sunday.
According to the notice by K Srinivasa Rao, General Manager, HR, it has been noticed that fraudulent recruitment advertisements and job offers are being made by some unscrupulous elements, forging AAI’s name/logo.
The modus operandi is clever and simple. Just a few days ago, an advertisement appeared in a popular vernacular daily, inviting applications from unfettered, graduate boys and girls for jobs at airports.
Two more advertisements appeared, listing numbers. On contacting these numbers, one is told that for the jobs, there are no interviews involved.
According to officials of the Pune airport, the applicant starts queries, the caller asks them few questions and confirms their job. The caller (usually a woman) asks the applicant to deposit Rs 1,500 as application processing fee in account number 0627006900013770 in the name of Pooja Rawat. Her sign is on the appointment letter too. The account is of Punjab National Bank in Naraina Vihar, New Delhi.
A day or so after this is done, the applicant receives an appointment letter on the purported letterhead of the Airports Authority of India, demanding Rs 15,000 as security agreement fee.
According to the statement released by Rao, “This is to inform that all the vacancies and recruitment in AAI are notified on AAI’s website, Employment News/Rojgar Samachar and leading newspapers. Link to apply for AAI vacancies is available only on AAI’s official website www.aai.aero and not on any other website. Only application fee is payable at the time of online registration and no other payments are sought at any stage of recruitment.”
“By this notice, it is brought to the knowledge of all prospective job aspirants to exercise caution and not to be misled by such false advertisements. Airports Authority of India is not responsible in any way for any loss and/or damage caused by the action of unscrupulous elements,” the statement further added.
However, there is no vacancy at Pune airport, as confirmed by Sakal Times from Pune Airport director Ajay Kumar.
“This is a fraud. The AAI has no vacancy of any kind. We have nothing to do with any such supposed jobs. People are advised to be careful in responding to such advertisements,” said Kumar.
In October, Sakal Times published news about a similar case at Pune airport. They received many phone calls daily about job inquiries. They have registered a police complaint at Viman Nagar police station, suspecting a fraudster is giving out the airport’s number and duping candidates in the process.
