IIM graduate spends Rs 75,000 relocating for Delhi job, finds office doesn't exist

A 2026 MBA graduate from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya has claimed that she spent Rs 75,000 relocating to Delhi for a job, only to discover on her joining day that the office address she had been given allegedly did not exist.

The woman’s story went viral online after an X user shared screenshots of her account with the caption, “Just opened the link and saw this. Feel for the poor girl. Never trust these fraud startups.”

In the post, the IIM graduate said she had received an offer letter, a joining date and assurances that a confirmed role was waiting for her. Trusting the process, she moved to Delhi alone and spent Rs 75,000 on relocation expenses.

“On May 4, I stood outside the office address I was given. There was no office,” she said.

She waited outside for around two hours, repeatedly calling and messaging company representatives but received no response. Days later, she alleged that she was informed the office was “out of lease,” something she claimed was never communicated to her before the move.

Despite the situation, she continued receiving assurances from the company. She claimed she was told that her employee ID was being generated, work-from-home arrangements would begin from May 11, and that all issues would be resolved within “two to three days.”

However, weeks later, she was allegedly informed that there would be “no joining before July.”

“If I had been told the truth even a week earlier, I would never have made these expenses,” she said, adding that she kept waiting while “the clock and the money ran out.”

The woman also claimed that when she sought compensation for the relocation expenses that had allegedly been promised to her earlier, she was blocked by the managing director and CEO of the company.

“Every number. Every platform. No call. No email. Just silence,” she added.

The post triggered widespread reactions online, with several users sharing similar experiences of delayed joining dates, lack of communication from recruiters and alleged fake hiring practices.

“Same thing happened to me. The company where I interviewed for a role kept my final round pending for months. The HR didn’t even bother to give me a proper explanation or closure,” one user commented.

Someone suggested that the matter should be reported to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, saying, “It would be better for the girl to report this to IRDAI, considering the company is a licenced insurance broker.”

Some users also recalled older incidents involving alleged fake placement drives and appointment letters, while others demanded stricter action against companies accused of misleading job seekers.

“Such false employers are playing with the emotions of budding job seekers. Strict action is required,” one comment read.

Meanwhile, the IIM graduate said in her post that she is now searching for new opportunities after relocating to Delhi for a job that allegedly never materialised.