Government alerts public to fraudulent job scam in energy sector

By Naveed Siddiqui
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Energy (Power Division) issued an Office Memorandum Tuesday, exposing a fraudulent job advertisement circulating on social media under the guise of Combined Electricity Distribution Companies (CEDCOS). The fake advertisement, dated December 3, 2016, falsely claims to offer career opportunities in various positions within the electricity distribution sector.
According to the memorandum, the positions mentioned in the fake advertisement include Line Superintendent (LS), Commercial Assistant (CA), Junior Clerk (JC), Meter Reader (MR), Bill Distributor (BD), Assistant Line Man (ALM), and Driver, with purported vacancies ranging from 547 to 1733 in all regions.
The scam instructs aspiring candidates to deposit Rs. 1000 in specified bank accounts before the closing date of January 30, 2024. The mentioned bank accounts belong to Habib Metropolitan Bank, Bank Islami, and Jazz Cash TILL ID.
The Ministry of Energy clarified that these positions have no connection to the Power Division or any organization under its jurisdiction. The fraudulent advertisement is seen as an attempt to deceive individuals into depositing money as application fees in the provided bank accounts.
The Power Division has received numerous queries from hopeful applicants who fell victim to the scam, highlighting the urgency of addressing the situation. The ministry has called for immediate action to protect unemployed youth from falling prey to this fraudulent scheme. Simultaneously, they have requested an investigation to identify and prosecute the individuals or groups responsible for the deceptive advertisement.
The Office Memorandum, issued by Muhammad Awais Mashmi, Section-Officer (DISCO-I), has been forwarded to key authorities, including the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Secretary of the Interior Division, the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and the Principal Information Officer, PID, Islamabad, urging prompt and extensive action to prevent further victimization. The memorandum includes a copy of the fake advertisement for reference.
This revelation serves as a warning to the public to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of job opportunities, especially those advertised on social media platforms. Authorities are actively working to dismantle the fraudulent operation and hold the perpetrators accountable.