Mumbai: A 36-year-old woman employed with a multinational company became the latest victim of cybercrime after being cheated of Rs. 3.90 lakh by fraudsters who lured her with fake promises of attractive commissions for a part-time work-from-home job. The cyber crook established contact with the complainant through WhatsApp, offering a part-time job in which she had to 'like' and 'follow' videos on social media platforms in exchange for monetary gains.
Fraudsters initially paid small amounts to lure victim
In an apparent attempt to win her trust, the crooks initially paid small amounts as earnings for the likes she posted on some videos. Later, she was added to a Telegram group and instructed to invest money in premium tasks for higher profits. Falling for the trap, the complainant ended up depositing Rs. 3.90 lakh through 19 transactions into various bank accounts and digital wallets specified by the crooks. However, she neither received her investment back nor any profit.
Interestingly, the entire fraud took place within a span of three days, from August 28 to August 31. Realizing she had been duped, the complainant approached the Uttan coastal police station and registered an offense against the callers and account holders. The police have filed an FIR under the relevant sections of the IPC and Information Technology Act. Further investigations are underway.
