Mumbai, September 4: A group of three cybercriminals, including two women, robbed a 42-year-old businessman of Rs 4.30 lakh. The accused advertised a part-time job on an e-commerce platform for the victim, who lives in Ulwe, in which he was required to click on a link, establish his user ID and password, and then "like and share" to get paid. But after gaining remote access to his cellphone data, the accused illegally carried out 14 transactions, deducting Rs 4.30 lakh from his two current bank accounts and one savings account.

Bike parts vendor Sandeep Kindre, who filed a police report at the NRI Coastal police station, claimed that on August 1 at around 4.15 pm, he received a WhatsApp call from a man claiming to be from Flipkart and offering him a part-time job of "liking and sharing" by clicking on a link, to which Kindre refused. Nevertheless, the caller provided him a link to the Flipkart job page. Kindre didn't click the link, either. Online Fraud In Maharashtra: 24-Year-Old Thane Woman Duped Of Rs 92,509 By Cyber Fraudster Impersonating SBI Official; Case Registered. 

The caller asked Kindre to send Sonia Sharma a 'HI' message the next day at noon after sending him Sonia Sharma's mobile number on WhatsApp. Kindre complied, and a WhatsApp group called "Cutiez1234", whose administrator was a lady by the name of Chaya, joined him to the group. On the WhatsApp group, she shared a number of links, but Kindre didn't click any of them.

Around eight o'clock, Sonia Sharma provided him with a link and instructed him to make a user ID and password. Kindre's mobile device ceased to function for 15 to 20 minutes after he signed in. He did not suspect foul play because no money was deducted from any of his three bank accounts.

On August 3, Sonai Sharma provided him a new link and said that there had been a system issue the day before and that he could now finish the duties. His phone stopped working once more as he signed in. Kindre received bank alert messages the next day informing him that 14 transactions totaling Rs 4.30 lakh had been debited from his three bank accounts. Online Fraud In Maharashtra: 55-Year-Old Man Duped Of Rs 2.83 Lakh By Cyber Fraudsters While Purchasing Mobile Phone in Raigad; Case Registered.

Kindre promptly lodged a complaint with the customer service departments of the relevant institutions. Kindre filed a police report after a month on Saturday in response to the banks' request, and an FIR was then filed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2023 01:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).