Work From Home Scam: Ghaziabad Woman Duped of Rs 13 Lakh in Job Fraud Involving YouTube Video 'Likes'; Case Registered
The accused, operating under the guise of providing an online income source, told Mathur that she could earn money by merely 'liking' YouTube videos.
Ghaziabad, September 26: Prachi Mathur, a 21-year-old woman from Ghaziabad, fell victim to a scam, losing a staggering sum of Rs 13 lakh to fraudsters who promised her an opportunity to work from home. The accused, operating under the guise of providing an online income source, told Mathur that she could earn money by merely 'liking' YouTube videos. According to the Times of India report, the scam began with Mathur receiving unsolicited text messages from unidentified fraudsters who lured her with the promise of a lucrative work-from-home job.
They claimed she could earn Rs 50 for each YouTube video 'like.' Initially, she started liking videos as instructed. However, the scammers soon changed their narrative, informing Mathur on September 18 that she needed to invest money in a supposed "welfare task," assuring her that she would receive her commission and initial investment back once the task was completed. Consequently, Mathur fell into their trap and invested Rs 5,000 initially, later increasing the amount to a staggering Rs 26,800. Cyber Fraud in Gurugram: Woman Duped of Rs 13 Lakh on Pretext of Being Given Work-From-Home Opportunities in Manesar.
In total, she transferred around Rs 13 lakh to the fraudsters over a period of time. Realising she had been scammed, Mathur filed a complaint with the local authorities, leading to the registration of an FIR under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the IT Act, as reported by Nimish Patel, ACP of Kotwali. The police are actively investigating the case and have engaged the assistance of the cyber cell. The victim resides in the Aggarwal Apartment, Model Town. Cyber Fraud in Mumbai: Cops Fall Victim to Online Fraud, Lose Over Rs 1 Lakh; Probe On.
While the investigation is ongoing, it serves as a stark reminder for individuals to exercise caution when confronted with offers that seem too good to be true, especially in the realm of remote work opportunities. It emphasises the importance of verifying the legitimacy of such schemes and refraining from engaging in financial transactions without due diligence. This incident is not an isolated one. The report mentions that between January 1 and July 31, a total of 396 cases of work-from-home scams were reported across all police stations in the district.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 26, 2023 12:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).