Be vigilant about callers offering seats in colleges

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The Vashi police have booked six people for duping eight parents of about Rs 2.17 crore by promising their children confirmed MBBS seats in their choice of college, a report quoted officers as saying. A Bhandup resident brought the crime to the fore after losing over Rs 12 lakh and finding that the gang, which was functioning out of an office in Vashi, had also cheated seven others.

The cops have cited as a moot point how these conmen got a list of people desirous of pursuing medicine.

The duped claimed he was conned by these people when he was trying to get admission for his son. They even had an office with a ‘help desk', which he could contact. He realised he had been conned much later and even learnt there have been several more targets of this similar modus operandi.

The entire operation is a red flag for parents who may be tempted to fall for such schemes, instead of going through the conventional admission route or opting for this as their children have not obtained admission.

Alarm bells need to start ringing as parents must first question how a person can call and say we have a way of getting your child a medical seat. A healthy dose of scepticism will help the intended target not go ahead with this.

Ask to speak with parents of children who have obtained admission this way and in fact, go and meet them personally.

While meeting these conmen at a so-called office after taking an appointment is alright, go to this so-called ‘office' unannounced or undertake a random check and really see what is happening, that may be a real eye-opener.

Background probing and robust police action whether it be for educational admission or jobs are needed to root this out.