UDUPI: A 55-year-old woman from Udyavara has reportedly been duped of more than ₹31 lakh after falling prey to an elaborate online work-from-home scam that began with a seemingly harmless Facebook advertisement. The victim, Vijayalakshmi, lodged a complaint at the CEN police station detailing how she was manipulated through WhatsApp and Telegram by individuals posing as employees of reputed organisations.
Scam begins with Facebook advertisement
According to the complaint, Vijayalakshmi came across a Facebook post on 29 November offering “work from home by online and earn.” Enticed by the promise of flexible income, she clicked on the advertisement, after which she received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. The sender introduced himself as an HR executive claiming to represent the “NSE corporate office,” lending an air of legitimacy to the offer.
He requested her to fill out an online form, explaining that she would be given simple tasks to complete in exchange for payment. Vijayalakshmi was soon added to multiple WhatsApp and Telegram groups, where she received links to perform these so-called tasks.
Initial payments create false trust
In her statement, Vijayalakshmi mentioned that she began receiving small payments soon after completing the assigned online assignments. This initial payout convinced her that the opportunity was genuine and encouraged her to continue participating.
On 1 December, she was added to a Telegram group operated under the name Bir Kavish. The administrator later redirected her to another Telegram handle called Guha Anuasuya. Here, she was told that she could earn between 30% and 40% returns by investing small amounts of ₹1,000, ₹3,000 or ₹5,000.
Wanting to test the offer, she transferred ₹1,000 and ₹2,000 using a QR code shared by the accused. To her surprise, she received ₹3,900 in return — a tactic commonly used by online fraudsters to gain victims’ trust before escalating the scam.
Victim transfers over ₹31 lakh
Convinced that the investment scheme was legitimate, Vijayalakshmi continued transferring larger sums of money as instructed. Between 29 November and the following days, she ended up sending a total of ₹31,00,067 to various accounts and QR codes linked to the accused.
Once the substantial amount was transferred, the fraudsters stopped responding. Her messages and calls went unanswered, and she was blocked on the messaging platforms. None of the promised high returns materialised, and no further payments were made to her.
Realising that she had been deceived, she approached the CEN police station and filed an official complaint.
Police register case under IT and BNS provisions
Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which deal with identity theft and cheating by impersonation through electronic communication. Additionally, Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been invoked, relating to offences involving cheating and dishonesty.
Police officials have begun tracing the digital trail of the transactions and the online identities used by the fraudsters. Investigators say that such scams are increasingly being operated through social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps, making them appear credible to unsuspecting users.
Rise in online job and investment scams
Authorities noted that online work-from-home and investment scams have seen a sharp rise, particularly after the growing use of social media as a platform for job advertisements. Fraudsters often lure victims with high returns, initial payouts, or simple online tasks to establish trust. Once victims begin transferring larger amounts, the scammers withdraw or disappear without warning.
Cybercrime officers have urged the public to exercise caution and verify credentials thoroughly before engaging in online job offers or investment schemes. They also encouraged victims of such scams to report incidents immediately to help in timely investigation.
Conclusion
The case serves as another reminder of how cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities and trust, especially by posing as representatives of reputable organisations. As police continue to investigate the matter, they have reiterated the need for increased digital awareness to prevent such incidents in future.