While on one side it’s a triumph to see what we have achieved with technology, on the other side it reflects the bane that comes along with it. Scams and frauds are erupting in the online space, as another case has been reported where a young man has lost lakhs of rupees. A WhatsApp message started off the scam, in which the man was offered opportunities in Crypto. The man was promised small profits in return for the smaller investments that he would make. This led to a larger investment and eventually losing it all.
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These scams are not new and are gradually becoming synonymous with “mundane activity.” The police of various states regularly warn the people and advise them to take the necessary precautions against them. However, people still continue to fall for them.
In another case, reportedly, a 32-year-old man lost Rs. 37 lakh to four people who lured him with a “part-time job” opportunity. The man was asked to like Instagram posts of Bollywood celebrities in return for money.
The victim reportedly uploaded his biodata to two online recruitment websites because his contract with the company he worked for was coming to an end. As per the police, the man got a WhatsApp message that offered him a part-time job. These messages are gradually becoming more professional, and to attach some credibility to them, the names of reputed companies are being attached to them.
Reportedly, the man was offered Rs. 70 for every Instagram post he liked. The Instagram posts pertained to those of Bollywood celebrities. By looking at the figures, the man was given a promise of Rs. 2000 or Rs. 3000 per day for doing the simple task. Further, the man was asked to share screenshots of the work he did to make the task and the transaction look authentic and accountable.
What’s more, the man was then made to join a Telegram group where he was given some cryptocurrency tasks. Under this, the man was asked to deposit a certain amount in order to buy cryptocurrency and bitcoins. The man was then given access to a website whose login details were provided by the scammers.
Eventually, he invested about Rs. 9000, for which he made an extra Rs. 980 on the initial amount. This transaction was enough to convince the man to invest more in order to get more profits. Later, he invested Rs. 30,000, for which he made a profit of Rs. 8,208.
After the investment, the man was reportedly informed that he had been upgraded to the “VIP” group of the Telegram app. This implied that the man was expected to invest in higher numbers. Now, when the man asked for the money that he invested, he was informed that to get back his investments, he had to pay more. This led the man to invest an amount of Rs. 37.03 lakhs, and only then did he realise that he had been cheated.
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Previously, students across the country, especially in Army Public Schools, had been reached out to by Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) to seek sensitive information. Reports suggest that the students were asked to join groups by scammers who posed as teachers, and the action was facilitated through calls and messages.
An advisory to the teachers and the students has been issued by the Principals of Army public Schools to sensitise them about the ongoing scam.
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