MAM
Hindustan Pencils takes a stand against scammers: Urges public awareness on fake job offers
Mumbai: Hindustan Pencils Pvt Ltd (HPPL), the renowned Indian manufacturer of writing materials and stationery items, established in 1958, is taking all the essential steps to safeguard innocent people from fake job scams. In recent times, the company has observed with concern the proliferation of fraudulent job offers falsely attributed to its iconic brands Nataraj and Apsara.
These scammers are fraudulently impersonating HPPL’s legitimate representatives. They misuse HPPL’s registered office address as well as images of their personnel to cheat innocent and unsuspecting individuals into supposed work-from-home pencil packaging job opportunities through various digital media including Google, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and other online platforms. These misleading offers have led to unfortunate instances where innocent job seekers fall victim to scams, losing money and trust.
Being the pioneers in manufacturing pencils & other stationery items since the year 1958 through advanced technology, HPPL has never authorised any such employment offers of work-from-home pencil packing jobs. HPPL would like to bring to the notice of all job aspirants and the general public that recruitment in HPPL is carried out through a well-established selection process. It is clarified that no websites or agencies have been authorized by HPPL either to show vacancy positions on its site or to accept any application for recruitment on behalf of HPPL. They also refrain from requesting any payment from job seekers under any circumstances. Therefore, any job postings that require money in exchange for a work-from-home pencil packing job are false, fake & bogus.
Furthermore, all Nataraj and Apsara pencils are manufactured and packaged with state-of-the-art automated machinery in robust manufacturing units across India.
The company is committed to maintaining transparency and protecting the interests of its consumers and the public at large.
In response to these alarming developments, Hindustan Pencils has undertaken the following vital initiatives:
Legal Action: Hindustan Pencils has taken a strong stance against these scammers and filed a First Information Report (FIR) to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible for propagating these fraudulent job offers.
Awareness Video: Dubbed & uploaded videos in 10 key Indian languages Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu and Maghai The company has circulated awareness videos through social media channels to educate the public about these fraudulent job scams. The video underscores the importance of verifying job offers through official channels to avoid falling prey to scams.
To date, HPPL is vigilant in tracking fake advertisements on Facebook and has successfully taken down 991 pages carrying fake pencils packing job work from home. They have also successfully taken down 11 pages carrying fake pencils packing job work from home on the IndiaMART portal.
Communication Outreach: Alongside law enforcement authorities, Hindustan Pencils is engaging with consumers across India through emails, telephone calls, 24 x 7 automated response on board line & consumer care number response through manually operated customer care executive to highlight the menace of the fraudulent packaging job scam to help protect public interests.
HPPL is also keeping a close eye on various advertisements published in print media under the classified column and communicating directly with publications disclaiming any such job offers and has also published cautionary notices in the newspaper where such fake job offer advertisements were published.
Over a span of time, even scammers have adapted and refined their methods of operation. Advertisements are now being disseminated without explicit mention of any particular brand name. On a regular basis, HPPL receives a multitude of inquiries, verification requests, and complaints via phone calls from individuals spanning the entire country. These calls come in through various contact points such as board numbers, consumer care lines, and toll-free numbers. HPPL representatives diligently caution each caller, emphasizing the importance of refraining from transferring any funds to these fraudulent entities under any circumstances. Callers are further advised to promptly report the incident to their local cybercrime authorities if they have, unfortunately, fallen victim to the scam and already made monetary transactions.
Hindustan Pencils president Pradip Ughade stated, “We take immense pride in our legacy of providing quality stationery products to our customers. It is disheartening to see the Nataraj and Apsara brand names being misused by scammers to exploit innocent job seekers. We are determined to put an end to these fraudulent activities and ensure that the public is well-informed and protected.”
Hindustan Pencils urges all individuals to exercise caution and diligence while seeking job opportunities online. The company advises job seekers to verify offers directly through the official website and authorized channels to avoid falling victim to scams.
MAM
Crocs and Lego launch new collaborative collection in India
Iconic brands bring playful creativity to footwear with first drop on 13 April 2026.
MUMBAI: Crocs and Lego have clicked together once again and this time, the bricks are heading straight for Indian feet. The global footwear brand Crocs has announced the India launch of its latest Crocs x Lego Group collection, following the excitement of their multi-year global partnership unveiled earlier this year. The collaboration celebrates creativity, play, and individuality, merging Crocs’ signature comfort with Lego’s iconic building-block spirit.
The collection will roll out in two phases. A digital-exclusive pre-launch begins on 13 April 2026 on crocs.in, featuring four styles: the Lego Masterbrand Creativity Clog, Lego Midnight Garden Creativity Clog, Lego Creativity Clog, and Kids’ Lego Creativity Clog. Each pair purchased during this phase will include an exclusive Lego minifigure as a collectible bonus.
From May 2026, the full collection will be available across select Crocs stores, VegNonVeg, and Foot Locker outlets nationwide.
The designs playfully blend Crocs’ classic clog silhouette with Lego brick-inspired details, complete with custom Jibbitz charms on the upper and sole. The collection encourages wearers to treat their footwear as a canvas for personal expression, without any set instructions just an open invitation to build, explore, and have fun.
Crocs chief marketing officer Carly Gomez said, “The Lego Group’s boundless imagination makes them the perfect match to Crocs’ wonderfully unordinary spirit. We are both brands that pride ourselves on being built different, celebrating self-expression and fuelling creativity.”
LEGO Group, head of licensing & extended line design & partnerships Satwik Saraswati added, “Our common mission to enable self-expression and wear it with pride only marks the beginning of a journey with endless possibilities.”
The campaign will extend beyond the product launch through creator-led seeding, elevated visual merchandising, and exclusive on-ground previews, supported by a deeper partnership with the Lego India team.
In a market that loves both comfort and fun, Crocs and Lego have built something special, a collection that lets every step feel like playtime. Get ready to click your heels (or rather, your clogs) because this collaboration is set to be a blockbuster hit with Indian fans.
