TIRUCHY: Nearly 5,900 online fraud cases have been reported in rural Tiruchy in the last four years, where the victims lost around Rs 41 crore. Of this amount, Rs 22 crore has been stolen by the scammers through three modus operandi - part-time job offer, loan through app, and online trading, said officers in cybercrime wing of Tiruchy police.
"The nature of fraud has changed in recent years. Scammers usually make first contact via messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Instagram. Once the victim responds, they give them offers such as work-from-home jobs, personal loans, or stock market investments. These scams often begin with enticing offers of simple online tasks such as typing, filling out forms, or promoting products through 'likes' and 'subscriptions' on websites or YouTube videos. Victims are promised Rs 1,000 - Rs 3,000 per day. After paying small sums to build trust, victims are asked for larger deposits," said a senior officer in Tiruchy rural cyber crime wing.
Kumar (name changed), 52-year-old government employee in Lalgudi, said, "They promised work-from-home typing job and asked Rs 2,000 as training fee. After I transferred it, they kept demanding more. When they stopped replying, I realized it was a scam. I have lost around Rs 38 lakh. "
Raji (name changed) (38) of Musiri said she took loan of Rs 15,000 through a loan app and was threatened that her morphed photos would be shared with her contacts. She had transferred Rs 50, 000.
Senthil (name changed), a 45-year-old businessman in Manapparai said scammed by a fake investment website with fake charts and screen shots of high returns. After transferring Rs 34 lakh, he could not withdraw and found the site had disappeared.
An officer handling loan app scam cases said "The loan advertisements promise Rs 5,000 - Rs 50,000 without having to produce any documents. Just pay Rs 999 processing fee. However, after submitting personal data and paying the fee, the loan never arrives. Scammers threaten to release personal and private photos and videos if the victims refuse to send more money."
"Scammers lure people into online trading by promising 800% returns and sharing exclusive tips via WhatsApp. Using manipulated charts and graphs, they encourage small investments before convincing victims to send larger sums through unregistered brokers. In some cases, scammers create fake websites or apps that look like real job portals or investment platforms, making it hard for users to spot the fraud." said the official
"Victims usually are students, IT employees, private and government staff, and professors. The money is transferred to scammers' bank accounts or digital wallets, often based in north India. The recovery amount is minimal. However, we are working with banks and tech teams to identify and catch fraudsters. Additionally, we are actively conducting awareness campaigns in rural areas about the dangers of online frauds and how to protect themselves. We advise people to avoid sharing personal information online and to report any suspicious job or investment offers immediately." said the senior official.
A stock trader in Tiruchy added, "Many people trust everything they see on social media. To earn extra money, they fall for fake web sites instead of simply consulting their nearby bank for safe options."
Cybercrime Cases in Rural Tiruchy (2021–2025)
2021: 800 cases | 3.5 crore lost | 10 lakh recovered
2022: 1000 cases | 10.8 crore lost | 50 lakh recovered
2023: 1400 cases | 10.5 crore lost | 70 lakh recovered
2024: 2200 cases | 12 crore lost | 2 crore recovered
2025 (Jan-Feb): 500 cases | 5 crore lost | 60 lakh recovered