What began as a simple work-from-home opportunity promising easy earnings turned into a massive cyber fraud, leaving a 51-year-old tax consultant from Pune ₹2.72 crore poorer. The victim was allegedly trapped through a fake online task scheme that used small rewards to build trust before convincing him to make repeated payments.
According to police, the victim received a Telegram message advertising a “Google Review Work-From-Home” opportunity. Participants were promised earnings for completing simple online tasks. After finishing 5 review assignments and sharing screenshots as proof, the victim received ₹500 in his bank account, making the offer appear genuine.
Investigators believe the initial payment was a calculated tactic to gain the victim’s confidence. He was later added to a Telegram group where individuals posing as coordinators and task managers introduced “premium tasks” that required advance payments in exchange for higher returns.
To strengthen the illusion, the fraudsters provided small returns on initial deposits. As trust grew, the victim was persuaded to invest larger amounts. Over time, he was repeatedly told to make additional payments for taxes, processing charges, account verification, system upgrades, and unlocking rewards.
Believing his earnings and investments were locked within the platform, the victim continued transferring money to multiple bank accounts. By the time he realised the fraud, he had completed 33 transactions amounting to ₹2.72 crore.
Investigators suspect several recipient accounts were mule accounts used by cybercrime networks to move and conceal stolen funds. A case has been registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, and authorities are examining bank accounts, digital transactions, and online profiles linked to the fraud.
Cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh warned that task-based scams are among the fastest-growing cyber frauds. According to experts, fraudsters often begin with small payouts to gain trust before encouraging victims to make larger investments.
Authorities have advised citizens to be cautious of unsolicited job offers, review-based earning schemes, and guaranteed-return programs shared through Telegram, WhatsApp, and social media platforms. Victims of cyber fraud are encouraged to report incidents through the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or the official cybercrime reporting portal.
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