Online job scam: How two lords lost Rs 28 lakh after completing ‘part-time assignment’

If you’re looking for an extra source of income and would like to work part-time, be aware that scammers are lurking out there trying to steal your hard-earned money. Part-time job-based scams have become quite a menace in recent times, with people losing hundreds of thousands of dollars and in some cases even tens of millions of rupees.

Now, in the latest case, two men from Thane have lost a whopping Rs 28 lakh in two separate incidents. According to a report in The Times of India, both victims fell into an online assignment/job scam.

In the first case, a man named Alhad Ranade, who ran a computer repair shop in Dombivli, suffered a loss of Rs 1.7 million. He claimed that he received messages on WhatsApp and Instagram from someone promising him extra income. In return, all he has to do is leave a hotel review on Google. He was later asked to buy Bitcoin, promising a 20 to 30 percent return, but of course, it was a scam and when the man demanded the money he invested, the defendant failed to transfer it back.

More or less the same thing happened when Dhiraj Tolani from Ambernath lost Rs 11 lakh.

“The suspect contacted the complainant through WhatsApp. He was asked to perform simple online tasks such as liking and rating different products to increase public awareness of the brand,” police said.

The victim was initially offered a small amount of money to gain trust, but later, he was asked to invest more for a “big reward.” And, he never got his money back.

How to ensure safety?

The most important thing to understand is that no one in their right mind would give you money easily, especially for simple tasks like liking a YouTube video or writing a review on Google.

If you receive any such opportunity on any social media platform, be sure to report it and never reply to such scammers. Also, please do not disclose any personally identifiable information as it may be used against you.

Additionally, you should always contact the relevant authorities and if something similar happens to you, report it rather than staying silent to protect others.