Got scammed ₹40,000+ in fake Singapore hotel job (Ibis Styles) – need advice on recover

[User_50cb3ba6]

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User_50cb3ba6
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May 3, 2026 at 9:23 am

Posting this so others don’t fall into the same trap—and also because I really need advice.
I got what looked like a legit job offer from **Ibis Styles Singapore (MacPherson)**. The offer letter, salary (~SGD 6500), and documents all seemed real at first. They said visa/work permit would be handled through a “travel office” in Delhi.
Here’s where it went wrong:
Paid **₹40,000 via UPI (Google Pay)** for “visa processing”
Then they demanded another **₹54,850** for “work permit”
Sent me forms that later turned out to be fake / irrelevant
Emails were from non-official domains
Kept saying the money would be **refunded after joining**
That’s when I realized something was seriously off.

**What I’ve done immediately:**
Reported the transaction in Google Pay
Called **HDFC Bank** and raised a fraud complaint
Got a case reference number
Emailed all proofs (transactions, chats, documents)

**Timeline:**
First payment: ~21 hours before reporting
Second payment: ~2 hours before reporting
Reported as soon as I caught on

**I feel like an idiot honestly**
Everything looked convincing at first, and I ignored some red flags. Just putting this out there so others don’t repeat my mistake.

**Need help from people who’ve been through this:**
What are my **real chances** of getting the money back?
Has anyone here actually recovered UPI scam money?
Should I keep pushing the bank or just wait?
Anything else I can do right now to improve recovery chances?

**Extra details:**
Money went to a **personal UPI account (not a company)**
They are still messaging me asking for more money
I’ve stopped responding

If you’ve dealt with something similar or know how recovery works, please share your experience. Would really appreciate any help

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