HYDERABAD: A 38-year-old private employee was duped of Rs 1.29 crore after falling prey to a cryptocurrency-based part-time job scam operated via Telegram.
According to the complaint filed with the Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police, the victim received a message on June 30 from an individual identifying herself as Avni Pandit. She claimed to be hiring people to increase Amazon web traffic and offered 24 online tasks per day, with payment promised based on task completion.
The victim was added to a Telegram group where tasks were assigned, and earnings were shown in cryptocurrency. He was asked to share screenshots upon completion of each task.
Initially, the tasks were simple. However, the fraudsters soon demanded prepaid amounts to proceed with higher-value assignments, ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 30 lakh. The victim complied, making multiple transfers.
After each payment, the fraudsters claimed new tasks had arrived or that the victim had made errors requiring “correction” payments. They repeatedly pressured him into transferring large sums, including Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh.
Eventually, when the fraudsters demanded more money and the victim said he could not pay, they stopped responding. Only then did he realise he had been duped and approach the police. A case has been registered under Sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2), read with 3(5) of BNS, and Section 66-D of the IT Act.