In separate incidents, two individuals in Dakshina Kannada have lost a total of Rs 95 lac due to online scams involving cryptocurrency investments and part-time job offers.
The first victim was scammed out of Rs 63 lac in an online cryptocurrency investment scam. In January 2025, the victim was approached on Facebook by an individual named Reyasen, who claimed to be a cryptocurrency trader. Reyasen introduced the victim to Peter Paul as his mentor and encouraged him to invest in BITFINEW.COM Investment Trading, promising high returns and a 30% commission on profits. After communicating through WhatsApp, the victim invested between February 2 and 23, transferring money through bank transactions and money exchange services. However, when he tried to withdraw his investments, the platform provided multiple excuses and delays. Realizing he had been deceived, the victim reported the scam to the police, and a case was registered at the CEN police station.
In a separate case, another victim lost Rs 32 lac in an online part-time job scam. The victim was contacted by a woman named Manvi in late February 2025 via Telegram, offering a part-time business opportunity to earn money by completing simple tasks like hotel ratings. After making an initial Rs 10,000 payment and receiving a return of Rs 17,000, the victim continued investing. Between March 11 and April 2, the victim made several payments totalling Rs 32 lac to different individuals. When no further returns came, and communication stopped, the victim realized he had been scammed and filed a complaint at the Ullal police station.
Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution when dealing with online investment opportunities or part-time job offers that seem too good to be true. They remind people not to share sensitive information such as bank details or OTPs over calls or messages and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities immediately.
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