A 30-year-old resident of Karanjade lost Rs 2.44 lakh to cyber fraudsters in a scheme promising easy money through liking videos on YouTube. The victim was lured by the promise of Rs 150 per video like but ended up entangled in a series of escalating investment demands.
Initially, the fraudsters gained the victim's trust by paying a small sum for liking three YouTube videos. They then presented a chart with inflated investment returns, where completing tasks supposedly guaranteed financial gain. Blinded by the apparent potential, the victim made several money transfers totaling Rs 2.44 lakh over several weeks.
However, instead of receiving the promised returns, the victim was met with escalating demands for further investment. Realizing he was being scammed, the victim reported the incident to the Panvel City police. Based on his complaint, a case has been registered against three unidentified individuals under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act.