Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A 40-year-old farmer lost Rs 7.76 lakh to a cyber scam disguised as a work-from-home opportunity promising easy money for completing online tasks. The fraudsters lured him into making repeated payments. A case was registered at Harsul Police Station on Sunday.
The victim has been identified as Ramesh Jadhav(Pisadevi). Jadhav's ordeal began on January 3, when an unknown caller offered him a part-time job. Despite his initial refusal, the fraudsters persisted, contacting him again on January 6. A woman named Radhika, posing as a company representative, assured him of a Rs 200 bonus upon registration. She communicated via WhatsApp and later directed him to Telegram to start the process.
The trap tightens
Jadhav began completing both paid and unpaid tasks as instructed. He was asked to invest Rs 7,000 in a 'paid task,' with the promise of earning Rs 8,500 in return. However, the fraudsters soon claimed he had made a mistake and demanded Rs 28,950 to rectify it. As he continued making payments, the amount spiraled out of control. Initially drawn in with a small deposit, Jadhav found himself repeatedly pressured to pay more under various pretexts. Within two days, his payments surged from Rs 28,000 to Rs 7.76 lakh. Believing he would recover his investment, he complied with their demands until he realized the withdrawals were never-ending.
Deceptive tactics: Using women to build trust
To make the scam appear legitimate, the fraudsters used female names and voices for calls and messages. Jadhav, too, was frequently contacted by individuals using names like Radhika and Priya Abhishek, ensuring he remained engaged and convinced.