FPJ Cyber Secure: Engineering Student Loses ₹2.45 Lakh to Task-Based Online Fraud, Matunga Police Launch Probe

A 19-year-old engineering student from Veermata Jijabai Technology Institute (VJTI) in Matunga East became the latest victim of the task-based cyber fraud where he lost Rs. 2.45 lakhs.

The student, originally from Bishna in Jammu, received a WhatsApp message where he was offered an online (part-time) job. The message read, “Let me give you a test task that you can learn how to work, get paid, and pick up the daily tasks. We pay Rs. 50 after every completed test.”

After the victim said yes to the job, he was added to a Telegram group, where he was supposed to get all the tasks.

The victim, in his statement, said that everyone in the group had a designated job, like one for making all the bills, one managing the financial matters, and one assigning tasks, etc.

How the victim was duped

He added that he was paid Rs. 1,650 at first for some of his tasks, which made him believe them. They then promised to double the returns and kept asking for money, that way, the victim ended up paying Rs. 2.45 lakhs.

When asked to withdraw all the money, they asked for more money instead, when he realized the fraud and blocked them from everywhere. He later approached the police and registered a case of offence against unknown persons.

Matunga Police are currently probing the case.