Mangaluru – A series of online scams disguised as work-from-home (WFH) opportunities have surfaced in Coastal Karnataka, with multiple individuals losing over ₹37 lakh collectively.
In one major case, a woman from Mangaluru lost ₹27.01 lakh after responding to an Instagram ad on June 11. The ad led to a WhatsApp chat promoting a “Global Part-Time Job” paying ₹120 per task for liking ShareChat content. After receiving an initial ₹320 for completing 20 tasks, she was convinced to invest more between June 13 and 20 using funds from her own account and those of her family. Unable to retrieve her money later, she filed a complaint with the CEN Crime Police Station.
In a similar case, another individual lost ₹9.88 lakh in a scam that began with a WhatsApp message on May 22. After completing initial tasks and receiving ₹150, the victim was contacted via Telegram by someone posing as a “data tutor.” The victim was convinced to invest in “US Copper” shares and later told they had mistakenly invested in “UK Copper.” A so-called “repair task” cost the victim ₹8 lakh, with a further ₹8.5 lakh demanded for “Level 2.” Sensing fraud, the victim contacted banks and reported the matter to Mangaluru Rural Police.
In Udupi, a woman lost ₹20,000 after being duped by a hacker posing as a doctor on WhatsApp. The fraudster requested an urgent transfer, prompting her to send funds before realizing the account was compromised. A case has been registered in Byndoor.