Panchkula: Assistant professor loses ₹43,800 to online reviews scam

In her complaint, Shruti Agarwal, 36, a resident of Sector 5, Mansa Devi Complex, Panchkula, told the police that she is an assistant professor at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala

An assistant professor lost ₹43,800 to online fraudsters who contacted her for writing online reviews.

A case under Sections 419, 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the cyber police station in Panchkula. (iStock)

In her complaint, Shruti Agarwal, 36, a resident of Sector 5, Mansa Devi Complex, told the police that she is an assistant professor at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala.

She said on May 26, she received a WhatApp message offering ₹150 for writing a Google review.

Later she received a weblink, through which she was asked to write a review. She was then asked to share her Google Pay number, which she did. The communication moved to Telegram app, where she was offered high returns for small investments. Attracted by the offer, she deposited ₹43,800 in different bank accounts, only to realise it was a fraud.

She approached the cyber crime police station, where a case under Sections 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code was registered.