An all-new type of scam has surfaced under the guise of “work-from-home” opportunities, wherein fraudsters are casting their nets with the promise that you can earn money from the comfort of your home using just your mobile phone.
These scammers are utilising popular apps like WhatsApp and Telegram as their tools. People of all ages — men and women alike — are falling prey to these fraudsters. They are specifically targeting job seekers and those who have recently lost their jobs, exploiting these situations to spread their web of deceit.
“Offers for various part-time jobs are made. You might be asked to like and comment on YouTube links or write reviews for different websites. You could even be asked to rate five-star hotels or popular resorts,” an official from the Kolkata Cyber Police said.
The scammers’ main selling point is the lure of earning ₹50 for every task completed. Completing three tasks results in ₹150 being deposited into your account. To facilitate this, you are added to a Telegram group and introduced to one of their receptionists via a provided phone number. This person collects your bank details and deposits ₹150. Gradually, the scammers assign more tasks, and money continues to accumulate in your account.
“It is a trap designed to make you think that you are earning money — the more tasks you do, the more you earn. Within a few days, however, the gang begins pressuring you to invest in cryptocurrency or Bitcoin. You are then introduced to another individual in the Telegram group who guides you on investments and helps you open a trading account through a specific app they provide. After a while, their company policy requires you to switch to a ‘prepaid’ option. If you refuse, they remove you from the group and stop assigning you work,” the cyber police official explained.
“Prepaid” means you must pay them money upfront before any trading takes place. That initial amount could be ₹5,000 to ₹10,000. They promise a 30 per cent profit on that sum within 24 hours. Driven by the hope of profit, you keep investing, and on paper, your balance appears to grow steadily — eventually reaching ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 in your trading account.
The scheme does not end there; you are then urged to invest several lakh rupees. The moment you confidently take that step, you become completely ensnared. Your account is frozen. When you contact them, they claim that by investing an additional ₹3 lakh to ₹4 lakh, you can recover your initial investment and the subsequent amount, along with interest. They use the threat of losing your entire investment to lure you into making further payments.
When you state that you cannot pay any more, they direct you to their receptionist, who later informs the person that a tax payment of ₹7 lakh to ₹8 lakh is required. To reassure and encourage them, they even make a “shadow payment” of ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh into your account.
“This is a trick; depositing money spells disaster. They will tell you to pay the tax, promising additional commissions on top of it. That is how you lose your hard-earned savings; your account is drained. Only then do you realise you were lost in an illusory maze,” an official said.
A senior Kolkata Police official has warned against falling for this scam, noting that hundreds of people have lost everything this way. The Kolkata Police is currently disseminating this message to citizens via social media.