Redditor says almost got 'scammed' by Noida start-up: 'no salary, graveyard shift, cold-calling'

The Redditor said they joined the startup as a Business Development Executive. (Representational)

A Reddit user recently shared their harrowing experience of joining—and swiftly quitting—a Noida-based digital marketing startup. The post, which has sparked widespread discussions on the Indian Workplace subreddit, highlights unethical practices and a toxic work environment that prioritise profit over employee well-being.

The Job That Wasn’t

The Redditor narrated how they joined the startup on October 7 as a Business Development Executive, only to find themselves cold-calling 500 numbers on their very first day. To make matters worse, their work hours were abruptly changed from 2pm to 11pm to a gruelling graveyard shift of 7pm to 4am, without prior consultation.

Frustrated, the employee called HR the following day to quit, forfeiting the opportunity to gain corporate experience. "I regretted leaving the job because I wanted to gain corporate exposure," they wrote, adding that they had already been freelancing successfully but craved the stability of a corporate job.

Weeks later, the user received a call from their former Team Leader, who congratulated them for quitting early. The TL revealed that the company had withheld their salary after failing to meet an unattainable target of generating $1,500 in revenue in their first month. Worse, the startup reportedly had only one client, contributing a meagre $300 to its revenue.

The Redditor concluded that the startup’s model supposedly revolved around exploiting new hires by demanding excessive work, pressuring them into quitting, and subsequently avoiding salary payouts.

Start-up scam. I got saved.
byu/bloohers_media inIndianWorkplace

"This made me work even harder on my freelancing skills. I’m now earning double what they were offering me," they shared, adding a note of optimism with the Hindi phrase, "Jab aapke mann ka na ho, toh samjho Bhagwan ke mann ka ho raha hai" (When things don’t go your way, it’s part of God’s plan).

The post resonated with many, with commenters sharing their own tales of narrowly escaping similar predatory work environments. One user said, “We really need strict labour laws. Companies like these should be punished for exploiting innocent people.”

Others applauded the Redditor for leaving the toxic job and focusing on their own growth. A commenter wrote, “Good that you left that job. Sometimes, such experiences become valuable lessons.”