KOCHI: A troubling trend has surfaced in the state, as cyber fraudsters have begun preying on job seekers through deceptive offers of online movie review and rating work. This disturbing development follows a string of scams involving part-time job opportunities on platforms like YouTube.
Multiple cases, approximately eight in number, have been reported at various cyber police stations across the state, as unsuspecting individuals fall victim to these schemes enticed by the allure of substantial commissions.
One recent incident involved a woman from Thiruvananthapuram who fell victim to this scheme, losing over Rs 22.55 lakh. She was approached by fraudsters in February, offering her a part-time job involving reviewing and rating Hollywood movies online. Subsequently, she was added to a Telegram group and provided with a user ID and password for a fake website called www.productionfilmbox.com, which purported to be a platform for movie reviews and ratings.
“The accused individuals collected Rs 10,500 as registration fees from the victim. She proceeded to rate approximately 30 Hollywood movies and received remuneration for her work. Once the fraudsters gained her trust, they provided her with a user ID and password for another website called www.movieticketingsys.com, promising higher remuneration. They also persuaded her to invest in the website for greater profits. Between February 22 and May 3, she sent a total of Rs 22.5 lakh to nine different bank accounts, expecting higher returns. However, after the payments were made, the accused ceased all communication, leaving the victim to realise she had been defrauded,” explained a police officer.
“We are receiving four to five complaints per week regarding fraudulent part-time jobs involving movie reviews and ratings. Unfortunately, even highly educated individuals are falling victim to these scams. Upon examining the bank accounts associated with these frauds, we have discovered that they are located in five or six different states, indicating the involvement of organised groups,” stated a police officer at Kochi Cyber Police Station.