Mumbai Cyber Safe: Man loses ₹8 lakh to online hotel rating fraud in Mira Road

A 35-year-old man from Mira Road working for a private company in Thane was duped of ₹8 lakh by cyber fraudsters who offered attractive commissions on part-time work from home by submitting ratings and reviewing hotels on travel portals. 

In his statement to the police, the complainant said that he received a call on his mobile phone from an unknown person who offered him a simple earning opportunity by rating hotels.

Caller directed him to join specified telegram group

The complainant was added to the messaging group for tutorials on the process of rating movies. Upon agreeing, the caller directed him to join a specified telegram group. After submitting ratings for three hotels, the complainant was told that he had earned ₹150 for the job.  

He was then lured with offers of earning more money by making investments and upgrading his account to complete merchant tasks. But despite depositing money into various bank accounts and finishing the tasks assigned to him, he neither got back his investments nor his commission. 

Victim loses ₹8 lakh within a week

By the time he realised that he was taken for a ride, the complainant had ended up paying ₹8 lakh within a week. 

He immediately registered a complaint with the cyber cell unit and the Naya Nagar police station on Mira Road. at the Mira Road police station. An offence under the relevant sections of the IPC and Information Technology Act-2000 has been registered against unidentified callers and around 13 bank account holders. Further investigations were on.