Kerala woman arrested for allegedly duping 51 job seekers with Oman offers

A 59-year-old woman has been arrested by Kerala Police for allegedly cheating job seekers with promises of lucrative employment in Oman and collecting money for visa processing and other expenses.

According to media reports, police identified the accused as L.S., a resident of Vadakara in Kozhikode district, Kerala. Her arrest followed a complaint from a young man from Arattuthara, near Mananthavady.

51 job seekers allegedly duped

Investigators have so far identified 51 alleged victims, including 21 people known to the complainant, according to OnManorama reports.

The accused allegedly promised jobs at a company preparing to begin operations in Al Ain, Oman, with salaries of up to Rs75,000 a month.

The complainant told police he paid Rs65,000 in January 2025. Several others allegedly transferred Rs75,000 each to her bank account for visa processing and related expenses.

When the promised visa did not materialise by March, the complainant approached police.

Police uncover fake address

During the investigation, officers reportedly found that the address provided by the accused was fake. Police said no one by that name had lived at the address for nearly 10 years.

Investigators also found that she had travelled to the Gulf after complaints were filed, prompting police to issue a lookout notice.

Arrest at airport

The woman was taken into custody early on Friday after arriving at Calicut International Airport in Karipur on a flight from Muscat.

According to Onmanorama, police said the number of alleged victims could increase as the investigation continues. They also said several people who may have lost money have not yet approached authorities, reportedly because they still hope the promised jobs and visas will be arranged.