After receiving the initial payout, the victim was deceived into making deposits in exchange for promised high returns. Here are some tips on how to protect yourself from such scams.
On Tuesday, an official reported that the Delhi Police had arrested four men for allegedly duping a man of over Rs 17 lakh in a nationwide work-from-home scam. Victims of this scheme were reportedly offered money for reviewing websites. The arrested individuals, identified as Ankur Mishra (22), Kratarth (21), Vishwash Sharma (32), and Ketan Mishra (18), purportedly lured victims through social media by promoting appealing online job opportunities. They then allegedly entangled victims in cryptocurrency-linked financial traps, disguised as high-reward tasks.
DCP (Southwest) Amit Goel stated that the victim filed a complaint on May 27, explaining that he had been contacted with an offer to earn money by reviewing websites. The complainant reportedly received Rs 50 per review intially. However, he was soon persuaded to engage in prepaid cryptocurrency transactions under the promise of higher returns. Goel informed that the fraudsters continually demanded additional deposits under various pretexts, ultimately defrauding the victim of Rs 17.49 lakh. The police subsequently registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS.
Investigation and arrests
During the investigation, the police discovered that Rs 5 lakh from the complainant’s account had been transferred to a private bank account registered in the name of Ankur Mishra. CCTV footage reportedly confirmed Mishra’s identity, along with two co-accused who were observed withdrawing funds via cheque.
The DCP further explained that technical analysis revealed the fraud ring was operating across several cities, including Lucknow and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, and Bhopal and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh. Raids conducted in these locations led to the arrest of the four accused.
Money laundering tactics
The officer stated that the gang utilised a multi-layered system to launder money. They transferred funds through multiple bank accounts before converting them into cryptocurrency, specifically USDT (Tether). They did so to evade detection by banks and law enforcement agencies.
Further investigation is currently underway to identify other members of the syndicate and to trace the laundered funds.
How to protect yourself
- Legitimate companies usually have professional communication. Always look for many typos or grammatical mistakes in job postings or emails.
- If a job promises huge earnings for very little work or no specific skills, it’s probably a scam. Always research these offers carefully.
- Read job descriptions carefully. If it is unclear or don’t provide much detail about the role, don’t accept it.
- Any job that requires you to pay money upfront for things like training, software, or registration could be a scam.
- Always check if the company has a legitimate physical address, phone number, and a credible online presence before you commit to anything.
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