Mumbai: An assistant commandant of a law enforcement agency, posted at the airport, lost ₹5.85 lakh to crypto-currency cyber fraud.
On December 11, the 33-year-old complainant – a Chandivli resident – received a WhatsApp message from a woman, Brisha, who identified herself as an executive of a recruitment agency, Global Chat Platform, offering part-time work. It required him to like some YouTube videos.
After the victim agreed, the woman sent him a few YouTube video links and the complainant liked them and as per her instructions, sent his phone’s screenshots to Telegram chatting groups “Receptionist Riya” and “Working Task Group,” states the FIR.
The complainant received the promised money. He earned a good amount following a similar set of instructions. Later, a message was shared on the Telegram group “Working Task Group,” asking members to invest in cryptocurrency to earn big amounts.
“The complainant agreed to invest in crypto-currency and registered himself on the concerned website,” a police official said. “The complainant then started depositing money via UPI into an account provided to him by the accused persons.”
This time, the profit was not directly credited to his bank account, but he could see the same being deposited in a virtual wallet created in his name on the website. “The figures showed in his virtual account, prompted the complainant to invest more money in cryptocurrency,” the officer added.
Meanwhile, the accused had sent him a certificate of his registration with the cryptocurrency firm. But the complainant found out that the certificate was bogus and suspected of foul play. He demanded that he be allowed to withdraw all his earnings. To this, the frauds told him that he will have to complete one last task to get back all his money and he was required to pay more money to complete the task. The complainant then realized that he had been duped, but by then he had already lost ₹5.85 lakh, the officer added.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the accused had sent him a certificate of his registration with the cryptocurrency firm. But the complainant found out that the certificate was bogus and suspected of foul play. He demanded that he be allowed to withdraw all his earnings. To this, the frauds told him that he will have to complete one last task to get back all his money and he was required to pay more money to complete the task. The complainant then realized that he had been duped, but by then he had already lost ₹5.85 lakh, the officer added.
{{/usCountry}}Based on his complaint, the cyber police have registered a case for cheating, impersonation, forgery, falsification of documents, etc.
“The cyber police generally investigate cases involving fraud amount more than ₹10 lakh, but suspecting involvement of a big and professional racket in the matter, cyber police have taken up this case for investigation,” police sources said.
The investigators have already written to the service providers and concerned banks seeking details of the mobile numbers and bank accounts used in the crime, they added.
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