More than 4,000 people here allegedly fell for a job recruitment scam that promised work at organisations that were deceptively named to sound like government bodies, police said on Thursday (August 27, 2026).

Police lodged a case against 13 named and five unidentified people on Wednesday (August 26) based on the complaint of a villager who claimed people were promised a monthly salary of ₹15,000, they said.

The accused claimed to be running Laghu Udyog Vikas Parishad, Ujjwala Shiksha Mission and Audyogik Prashikshan Mahila Vikas Yojana from a rented place in Tikhampur in Ballia district to carry out the fraud.

According to a complaint filed by Rajesh Kumar Kannaujiya of Parsupur village, the accused told people that the government planned to appoint two persons in every village and asked them to deposit ₹40,000 as security. They were promised a monthly salary of ₹15,000.

More than 4,000 people from the area allegedly made the security deposit and were given fake appointment letters. They were also made to work before the accused shut their office and fled, the complaint said.

A case was registered against 13 named and five unidentified accused under relevant sections of the BNS. Station House Officer Vansh Bahadur Singh said police were investigating the matter.