In early July 2025, news broke out that shocked India’s startup community. A man named Soham Parekh, an Indian engineer, allegedly scammed multiple startups by lying about his identity, credentials, and work background. Several entrepreneurs and employees began sharing their experiences on social media, exposing a web of deception that had gone unnoticed for months.
Who Is Soham Parekh?
Soham Parekh presented himself as a highly skilled techie with a strong background in software development and engineering. He claimed to have worked with several reputed companies and even pitched himself as a startup founder or co-founder in some cases.
He looked professional, spoke with confidence, and used fake online profiles to support his identity. He didn’t stop there—he even created fake email addresses, domains, and LinkedIn accounts to back up his story.
How Did the Scam Begin?
The scam started when Soham reached out to small and mid-sized startups offering to help with their tech needs. In some cases, he joined companies as a consultant, tech lead, or CTO, depending on what the company needed.
He convinced founders that he had strong tech skills and deep connections in the startup ecosystem. Many founders, short on time and technical expertise, trusted his words and brought him onboard.
At first, he delivered small tasks or documents to earn trust. Then, he began asking for higher responsibilities. He demanded access to systems, codebases, and company information—anything that gave him control.
The Red Flags
Eventually, things didn’t add up. Team members started spotting inconsistencies. For example:
- Soham gave conflicting timelines about his education and work experience.
- He avoided video calls or meetings where verification was possible.
- He asked for advance payments for development work and then disappeared.
- His code quality was poor, or in some cases, he delivered nothing at all.
- Some startup teams noticed he used the same resume and LinkedIn profile under different names.
Founders from different startups began comparing notes online. That’s when the full picture emerged—Soham had repeated this scam dozens of times across companies in India, the US, and Southeast Asia.
The Internet Turns Detective
The story blew up on platforms like Twitter (now X), LinkedIn, and Reddit. Startup founders, developers, and VCs started sharing screenshots, warning others not to work with Soham.
Some people tracked down email records, Slack conversations, and payment logs. They linked the same person to multiple aliases and domain names, many of which traced back to Soham.
He had built a network of lies, but once the startup community connected the dots, the web started falling apart.
Victims Share Their Stories
Several startup founders shared painful stories about how they trusted Soham and lost time, money, and in some cases, investor confidence. One founder said:
“He told us he was the former CTO of a YC-backed startup. He showed us fake credentials. We let him take the lead on product design. A month later, we realized he had copied someone else’s GitHub and couldn’t write code.”
Another startup in Singapore said they paid Soham over $4,000 for tech support and got nothing in return.
Even early-stage investors spoke out. One angel investor said:
“He sent me a pitch deck pretending to be the founder of a fintech app. He had LinkedIn, a working demo, and even testimonials. Later we found out the demo was cloned, and the testimonials were fake.”
How Did He Stay Undetected?
Soham used smart tactics to avoid detection:
- He used VPNs and fake addresses.
- He registered websites that looked like legitimate startups.
- He faked job references using dummy numbers and voicemail recordings.
- He avoided live meetings and insisted on working remotely.
Because many startups operate remotely and move fast, few companies took the time to verify his story. That helped Soham slip through the cracks repeatedly.
Legal Trouble and Investigation
As of now, no formal police FIR has surfaced, but many affected companies are collecting evidence. A few victims have reached out to cybercrime units and legal teams for advice.
Experts believe this case may fall under IT fraud, impersonation, and cheating under Indian Penal Code sections. If the police take up the case, Soham could face jail time and a permanent ban from platforms.
Meanwhile, legal experts urge startups to come forward and file complaints officially.
Startup Community Responds
India’s startup ecosystem reacted strongly. Founders and CEOs began urging others to run background checks, verify references, and avoid working with unknown freelancers without contracts.
VC firms also shared cautionary notes. One investor wrote:
“Early-stage founders must treat hiring with the same seriousness as fundraising. Your team defines your future. Verify. Trust but verify.”
Some founders suggested creating a shared blacklist of known scammers, much like a credit bureau for startup hiring.
Lessons for Founders and Startups
This scandal reminds the startup community of some important truths:
- Don’t skip background checks. Always verify education, experience, and identity.
- Avoid giving full access to tech systems without contracts or trial periods.
- Ask for live coding tests or portfolio reviews.
- Avoid paying upfront without clear milestones and deliverables.
- Document everything—calls, payments, messages, and agreements.
Final Thoughts
Soham Parekh managed to scam multiple startups by using fake identities, false resumes, and charm. But eventually, the community saw through the lies.
Now, startups across India and abroad have started waking up. They are building stronger hiring systems, relying more on due diligence, and learning from the experience.
This story may sound like a tech thriller, but it highlights a very real problem—trust in a digital age. As founders chase growth, they must also protect what they build.
Also Read – Burn Rate Analysis: How Long Can Startups Survive?