Cochin Airport exposes massive recruitment scam, busts propaganda
A fake propaganda campaign about job-oriented courses at Nedumbassery Airport in Kochi deceived local institutions near the airport. Two youths, pretending to be representatives of CIAL, approached local institutions and elected representatives, misleading them.
Kochi: A fake propaganda about conducting job-oriented courses at Nedumbaserry Airport in Kochi deceived local institutions near the airport. Two youths, posing as representatives of CIAL, directly approached local institutions, including elected representatives, and cheated them. However, after CIAL released a statement denying any involvement in the incident, the massive cheating scam was exposed.
The fraudulent campaign targeted the Sreemoolanagaram, Kanjoor, Kalady, Nedumbassery Panchayats, and Angamaly Municipal Corporation areas near Nedumbassery International Airport. Starting on the 18th, two individuals wearing ID cards visited local institutions, claiming to be appointed by CIAL. They first met with the secretary and then with local representatives. They announced that unemployed women in the area could enroll in certificate courses for Solar PV installer and health assistant course, conducted by a private company, with a promise of employment upon completion.
They claimed the courses were funded by CIAL's CSR funds and requested the names of those interested. Following the fake campaign, messages spread on social media, including WhatsApp, from local institutions, leading many young people to apply for the skill training.
Meanwhile, CIAL issued a statement declaring the incident a hoax. “We have not engaged anyone to offer such a course,” said a CIAL statement on July 25.
Those who wish to make sure that any offers are authentically made by CIAL should visit www.cial.aero, the statement added.
Attempts to contact those who had approached local authorities by phone were unsuccessful. Recognizing the scale of the fraud, local bodies retracted all messages and advertisements, expressing their regret. They also stated that a complaint, along with evidence, would be filed with the Ernakulam Rural Police. Young people who applied for the course are also upset with the local bodies for not detecting the fraud sooner.