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Pune task fraud: Cyber criminals siphon 19.10 crore in 8 months

ByNadeem Inandar
Sep 21, 2023 12:02 AM IST

In the last eight months, 187 cases of task fraud totaling ₹19.10 crore have been registered, with victims being lured into investing money for promised returns. Cyber police have warned citizens to be cautious and not share personal information or card details.

In the last eight months, as many as 187 cases of task fraud totalling 19.10 crore have been registered at the cybercrime police station, stated a data released by police officials. At least 55 FIRs have been filed

In the last eight months, as many as 187 cases of task fraud totalling <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>19.10 crore have been registered at the cybercrime police station (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)
In the last eight months, as many as 187 cases of task fraud totalling 19.10 crore have been registered at the cybercrime police station (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

Explaining the modus operandi, officials stated that the victims receive a message on their WhatsApp asking them to register for an online task where they are promised a payment of 2,000 to 3,000 for liking a video on YouTube. The victim is asked to send the screenshot of the liked video and the amount is then credited. They are then asked to invest more if they want to receive money. The victim in their greed for more money invests their sum but doesn’t get any return as the scamters trick them by saying that they have not met with the compliance mechanism. Then the victim is asked to deposit more money to get back the invested money and lose lakhs of rupees in the scam, informed cyber police sleuths.

The other methods wherein cyber criminal cheat citizens include sending SMS to the victims asking them to pay pending power bills failing which they will disconnect the power supply, sextortion-based cheating and writing reviews through which a major chunk of the amount was looted, said officials.

Deputy commissioner of police (cybercrime) Sriniwas Ghadage said, “Citizens must be careful with regards to online task frauds as majority of the affected are educated citizens who tend to get cheated not once but twice or more times. One should not share any debit or credit card information or PIN. The task fraud criminals trap their victims by luring them by paying a meagre sum and later siphon off their hard earned money. The number of such cases have gone up since March.”

Past cases:

In March 2023, a 64-year-old ex-serviceman from Hadapsar in Pune, lost all his life savings, retirement benefits and borrowings totalling 1 crore during an ‘earn online task’ fraud.

A 41-year-old woman was cheated of 87.84 lakh between April 24 and May 20 , 2023

A 37-year-old MNC employee was cheated to the tune of 76.24 lakh between May 19 and June 9 in online task fraud

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