What appeared to be a genuine airline hiring process turned out to be a carefully planned job scam, after Delhi Police uncovered a fake recruitment operation using the Vistara brand. The case came to light following a complaint by Ritu Singh, who received an email offering a job, followed by WhatsApp messages from an account saved as AIR VISTARA and carrying the airline logo. Police said the communication looked authentic and mirrored real corporate hiring practices, making it difficult to detect at first glance.
Investigators found that the branding and documents were fake. A forged letter of intent, QR codes for payments and messages asking for money under the pretext of job processing fees and uniforms were used to cheat the victim. A case was registered as FIR No. 104/25 at the Cyber Police Station in Shahdara under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after a preliminary inquiry confirmed criminal intent. Officials said such scams increasingly rely on visual credibility rather than pressure tactics.
The trail led police to Aditya World City in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, where 35-year-old Rohit Mishra was arrested. A Redmi 10 mobile phone recovered from him contained key digital evidence, including the number used to contact the complainant. Investigators also linked the device to an Axis Bank account allegedly used to receive the cheated funds. Multiple QR codes and forged documents were seized, showing how digital payments were combined with document fraud.
Police records revealed that Mishra is a repeat offender, with earlier cases registered against him at the Crime Branch in Delhi under FIR No. 185/18 and FIR No. 277/19 for cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and identity misuse. “The techniques are modular,” a senior officer said. “Brand impersonation, fake documentation, payment funnels these can be reused across different scams with minor adjustments.” The investigation is ongoing, with police analysing digital evidence to identify wider links, trace money flows and recover the cheated amount.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.
