Bhandup Man Loses Around ₹4 Lakh To Online Task Scam

A resident of Bhandup West has fallen victim to an elaborate online task scam that promised high-paying freelance work but ended up costing him a staggering ₹4.38 lakh. The Bhandup Police have now registered a case under the cyber and criminal sections of the law.

How the Online Task Scam Unwrapped

According to the FIR filed, the victim, a 25-year-old private employee, was living in Bhandup and supporting his family on a modest income. On June 8, he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown woman who introduced him to an online opportunity to earn between ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 per day by completing simple tasks on Google.

Initially sceptical, the victim was persuaded after completing a ₹150 task and quickly receiving a payout into his bank account. Gaining confidence in the scheme, he was added to a Telegram group titled “Task Publishing Group 8”, where he was instructed to pay ₹7,000 upfront for higher-value assignments. He was promptly paid back the same amount after completing more tasks, deepening his trust in the operation.

However, things took a turn on June 11 when he was told that to continue with bigger tasks and earnings, he would need to deposit larger sums. Over the next few days, the victim transferred funds to various accounts linked to two different banks. These included:

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The total amount paid by the victim came to ₹4.38 lakh, with the promise that he would receive ₹6 lakh in return by 9:00 PM the same night. When the money didn’t arrive, he reached out via the Telegram group, only to be asked for another ₹7 lakh, claiming he would then receive ₹13 lakh.

That’s when the realisation hit that he was a victim of the online task scam. The victim demanded his money back, but the scammer claimed that refunds were not possible. Realising he had been duped, he immediately approached the Bhandup Police and lodged a formal complaint.

A case has been filed under Section 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act for identity fraud and online cheating, along with Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, pertaining to criminal breach of trust and fraud.

Police have begun an investigation into the digital trail of the online task scam, including the Telegram group and bank accounts where the funds were deposited. They are working to trace the accused, a woman whose identity has yet to be confirmed.

This case highlights a growing trend of task-based online fraud in India. Victims are lured into a false sense of security with initial payouts before being conned out of large sums. Authorities are urging the public to be cautious about such offers and verify any online earning schemes before participating.

The investigation is ongoing.