Last Updated on September 30, 2026 by YeJahan
KARACHI (Sept 30): In an unprecedented turn of events, an event organizer tricked dozens of young women into surrendering their mobile phones at a remote farmhouse near Karachi before fleeing with the devices.
Around 50 women had traveled in two chartered buses to a leisure property in the Gadap neighborhood, expecting a day of paid promotional work. Instead, they fell victim to an elaborate scam orchestrated by a man identifying himself as an event organizer named Salman.
According to the victims, upon arriving at the venue, Salman informed the group that strict security and strict “no-photography” regulations were in place. Under the guise of enforcing these rules, he ordered the women to hand over their devices. The moment the organizer secured the stash of approximately 50 mobile phones, he vanished from the property. Local police rushed to the scene shortly after the stranded group raised the alarm. Authorities have since detained the farmhouse manager for questioning. A manhunt is currently underway to track down the fleeing organizer, and a formal investigation into the wider fraud network has been launched.
The Lure: A “25-Day Corporate Event”
The full scale of the deception emerged following a statement from Khushnama, one of the targeted victims. She revealed that the scam began on social media messaging groups, where advertisements promised quick, easy employment.
“Job messages were regularly circulated in our groups with a contact number listed at the bottom,” Khushnama explained. “A friend of mine spotted an alert for an ‘activity’ day. We were promised 2,000 rupees per day alongside free meals.”
Driven by the prospect of decent daily wages, dozens of young women signed up for what they believed was a legitimate corporate event, only to find themselves isolated at a distant farmhouse and stripped of their primary means of communication.
Police sources say they are tracking the digital footprint of the WhatsApp groups and mobile numbers used to lure the victims, warning the public to remain vigilant against unverified digital recruitment schemes.
The recruiters pitched the job as a 25-day marketing campaign based in Bahria Town, where the women would manage corporate stalls. Khushnama was instructed to gather at a local park in Johar at 9:00 AM for a complimentary pick-and-drop service. Upon arriving at the park, she found dozens of other young women waiting.
After being promised official event uniforms, the women were loaded onto the buses. However, instead of Bahria Town, they were driven to the isolated Gadap farmhouse. By the time they arrived, Salman claimed it was already getting late and ordered them to hand over their phones, falsely claiming that “the boss” was about to deliver a speech and no interruptions would be tolerated.
Fake Bookings and Unpaid Bills
As the police probe deepens, the owner of the farmhouse has come forward to clarify the venue’s involvement, insisting that proper booking procedures were followed and all documentation has been handed over to the police.
According to the owner, the property had been reserved by a man identifying himself as Waqas, who claimed the venue was needed for a “corporate staff event” lasting three to four hours. The slot was booked for today from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM for a group of 50 women and supporting staff.
Crucially, Waqas never showed up at the venue himself. Instead, a man and a woman arrived to oversee the setup, which included catering and extensive decorations that significantly inflated the final bill.
“By 5:00 PM, our staff demanded that the event wrap up because the booking fees had still not been paid,” the owner stated. “Waqas kept claiming over the phone that he was on his way.”
Shortly after, the farmhouse staff noticed an uproar and realized that Salman had vanished with the victims’ devices. Police sources say they are tracking the digital footprints of both “Waqas” and “Salman,” warning the public to remain highly vigilant against unverified digital recruitment schemes.
Copyright YeJahan News Network, 2026
