27-year-old man loses 57 thousand lei in a part-time scam

A 27-year-old businessman in the electric pole industry was defrauded of Rs 57.75 lakh in a part-time job scam. Lured by promises of easy money for minimal work, the man ended up transferring a large sum of money over a period of time before realizing he had been scammed. The cyber crime police have since filed an FIR against 14 people under various sections of the IPC and IT Act for their involvement in the case.

The scam started on August 16 when the victim received a Telegram message from a woman named Ansuya. She presented him with a part-time job that promised earnings of Rs 4,650 for just three hours of online work every day.

After two days, another woman, Abhinaya, contacted him claiming to be associated with a company called “Mango Fashion”. She directed the businessman to register on the company’s platform, where his digital wallet was credited with a bonus of Rs 10,000. As he continued to complete tasks, his wallet balance increased, leading him to believe that the opportunity was legitimate.

Encouraged by the growing wallet balance, the man was persuaded by Abhinaya to invest in Mango Fashion with promises of even higher profits. Over time, he transferred a total of Rs 58.06 lakh to 11 different bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. His digital wallet showed 76 lei, including profits, but when he tried to withdraw the funds, he was only able to recover 30,858 lei in two small transactions.

As repeated attempts to withdraw larger amounts failed, he realized he had been duped. On August 29, he contacted the cybercrime helpline and filed a formal complaint, which led to an investigation. Finally, on December 24, the police registered an FIR against 14 people in connection with the fraud.

This case highlights the growing number of part-time job scams targeting unsuspecting victims via messaging platforms. To avoid falling prey to such schemes, it is best to check the legitimacy of any job offers, especially if they arrive unsolicited. Genuine companies do not ask for money or investment up front. Any request for payment should raise suspicion. If you find yourself in a similar situation, it is important to report the matter to the authorities as soon as possible to prevent further financial loss.