A woman received a WhatsApp message from an unknown sender offering her an opportunity to earn money by doing simple tasks from home.
Although she initially declined the offer, the scammer convinced her to reconsider by offering a lucrative deal.
The scam involved liking restaurants, places, and hotels online, leaving 5-star reviews, and commenting positively.
In today’s digital age, work-from-home opportunities are becoming increasingly common, especially after the global pandemic. However, not all of these offers are genuine. Scammers often use the promise of easy money to trick people into parting with their hard-earned savings. This unfortunate reality hit a woman who recently lost Rs 23.5 lakh to a work-from-home scam.
On September 21, she received a WhatsApp message from an unknown sender offering her an opportunity to earn money by doing simple tasks from home. Although she initially declined the offer, the scammer convinced her to reconsider by offering a lucrative deal.
The scam involved liking restaurants, places, and hotels online, leaving 5-star reviews, and commenting positively. In return, the woman was told she would earn money. Once she agreed, the scammer sent her a Telegram link and asked her to join a group. After clicking the link, a person named Saanvi Jain transferred Rs 210 to her bank account, making the scheme seem legitimate.
Encouraged by the small initial payment, the woman proceeded to complete the assigned tasks. Over time, she was instructed to transfer large sums of money to various bank accounts. Trusting the scam, she ended up transferring a total of Rs 23.5 lakh. Once she realised she had been scammed, she immediately filed a complaint.
Be cautious of unsolicited offers: Scammers often reach out through random messages on platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram. Avoid engaging with such offers.
Verify legitimacy: Before agreeing to any work-from-home job, research the company or individual offering it. Scammers often avoid giving verifiable details.
Don’t transfer money: No genuine job will require you to pay money upfront or make transfers.
Report suspicious activity: If something feels off, report it to the authorities or platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram to prevent further scams.