Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Dec 8: A 55-year-old woman from Udyavara has reportedly lost Rs 31 lac after falling prey to an online work-from-home scam circulated through a Facebook advertisement.
In her complaint to the CEN police station, Vijayalakshmi stated that on November 29 she clicked on a Facebook ad offering “online work from home and earn.” Soon after, she received a WhatsApp message from a man claiming to be an HR executive from the “NSE corporate office.” He asked her to fill out a form if she wished to take up part-time assignments and then began sending her links via WhatsApp and Telegram through which she was given small online “tasks.”
She informed the police that she initially received payments for completing these tasks, which made the offer appear genuine. On December 1, she was added to a Telegram account named Bir Kavish, who then connected her to another account, Guha Anuasuya. She was told she could earn returns of 30–40% by choosing investment options of Rs 1,000, Rs 3,000 or Rs 5,000.
She first transferred Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 through a QR code shared by the accused and received Rs 3,900 in return. Believing the scheme to be legitimate, she continued transferring money as instructed, eventually sending a total of Rs 31,00,067.
After receiving the money, the accused stopped responding and failed to return any amount or promised earnings. Realising she had been cheated, she approached the police.
A case has been registered under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.