The year 2024 appears to have been riddled with scams in Goa. Whether it is land fraud – many cases of which mushroomed in several parts of the state through the year – the explosive ‘cash for jobs’ scams or the siphoning of money from financial institutions, both of which surfaced towards the fag end of 2024, it is clear that no one’s possessions are truly safe.
While parcels of land have been usurped left, right and centre in the absence of the rightful owners or even from right under their noses, the other two scams have witnessed several unsuspecting people virtually offer large chunks of their money on a silver platter to con artists in exchange for a plum ‘government’ posting or unrealistic returns on their ‘investments’. For many, the money they lost was their life’s savings. It is often said that when something is too good to be true, it probably is. Unfortunately for those who fell into scamsters’ snares this year, they seemed to have ignored this cardinal indicator.
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The fraudsters, in the meanwhile, continued to make hay while the sun shone, siphoning money to the tune of lakhs of rupees from each alleged victim, which together added up to crores.
When the first complaint surfaced, many other affected people came out of the woodwork with their own shocking sagas of having been cheated of their money and never landing the jobs they were so enthusiastically promised at the start.
Goa police has been on its toes, as a result, registering complaints, filing first information reports and even arresting some of the alleged scam artists. It remains to be seen if any further action will be taken because, in the absence of a money trail, most complaints will be very hard to prove if transactions were made in currency notes.
In property fraud, one can at least prove that documents or signatures were forged, or even that a legitimate owner was impersonated. None of this can be done in scams involving cash for jobs.
It is, therefore, hoped that this dead-end does not empower more scamsters to continue duping innocent people of their hard-earned savings without the slightest fear of being brought to book or being dealt with with an iron hand.
Interestingly, there have been claims that some powers that be have also been involved in this murkiness. The opposition raised its voice, claims and counter-claims flew thick and fast, and finally, the chief minister said that no guilty person would be spared. It is only hoped that he stands by his statement for the sake of all the hapless individuals who may never again be able to live a secure life.
So, what can the common man do to steer clear of this mess? It is plain and simple. Do not fall for something that feels surreal, whether it be a job offer, a business venture, or bumper returns on miniscule investments, for they will all come back to haunt you.
Also, everyone, particularly senior citizens, should avoid overtures from strangers at banks or other such establishments who seem all too eager to help. More often than not, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing and by the time most victims realise this, the con artists have already made good with their money and invest it in luxuries of their own.
The need of the hour is also stringent legislation to come down hard on fraudsters. This will do well to dissuade anyone else who develops an interest in making fast money at the expense of others.
The government and law-enforcement agencies should do more than just making arrests and briefing the media about the status of such cases from time to time. What citizens want to see is action and deterrence, both of which are either sluggish or may not come at all.
It is now up to the state to restore the faith of the people by taking quick and effective punitive measures to nip these crimes in the bud before they spiral further out of control.
