Customers’ concerns about scammers abusing the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) name are growing. Through emails, chats, and social media posts, scammers are pushing phoney job offers and LPG distributorship schemes that demand large deposits. Numerous individuals have already lost lakhs of rupees as a result of these scams. IOC has clarified that it is not connected to such offers and will not be liable for any losses. The company has urged the public to stay alert and rely only on its official channels for information.
Job scams and misleading advertisements
IOC has repeatedly clarified that it never announces vacancies through WhatsApp, Gmail or private messages. All genuine recruitment notices appear only in leading newspapers, in the government’s Employment News or Rozgar Samachar and on the company’s official website, www.iocl.com.
The corporation does not outsource hiring to private agents or consultants. The only payment it accepts is the application fee, if specified in official advertisements. Any demand for additional money is a clear signal of fraud.
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False promises of LPG distributorships
Another widespread scam involves fraudulent LPG distributorship allotments. People receive letters, e-mails or calls claiming they have been awarded dealerships on behalf of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) or Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL). The fraudsters then ask for advance fees or deposits.
The three oil marketing companies have stressed that they do not appoint middlemen or representatives for distributorship selection. Authentic details are available only on their official websites and the government-backed portal www.lpgvitarakchayan.in.
How to stay safe
Consumers have been urged to stay alert when they receive such offers. Scamsters often avoid face-to-face meetings, rely on free email IDs, and push people into making quick payments. Genuine allotments, on the other hand, come only through official channels, follow a clear online process, and include proper field verification.
Reporting frauds
Anyone who comes across these fake messages should immediately alert the local police and notify the nearest oil company office. Indian Oil has also made it clear that it cannot be held responsible for any money lost to fraudsters.
Trusted sources only
Those seeking jobs or LPG distributorships are advised to trust only the official websites of IOC, BPCL, and HPCL. Creating awareness within local communities is equally important to ensure others don’t fall prey to similar scams.
