Representative image of online fraud.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Mangaluru: A 22-year-old man from Kadaba has lost Rs 1,23,000 in the name of a part-time job for completing tasks.
In a complaint, Ashwin Thomas said that he was staying at home after completing his BCA studies.
On May 4, he received a link on Instagram regarding a part-time job (the link is currently unavailable). When he clicked the link, it opened WhatsApp, where he was told that there was a part-time job opportunity with Meesho company.
Further, he was asked to register by providing a user ID. When the complainant entered the given user ID and password, a website with the Meesho logo opened. Later, a link was sent to complete a "task''. Upon clicking the link, it opened a Telegram account. The Telegram account holder informed him that to complete the task on the Meesho webpage, he had to transfer money for orders and would get it back upon the completion of the task. They also shared photos and testimonials of people who had received money after completing tasks.
Following this, the complainant transferred Rs 100 to a UPI ID provided by the unknown person. He was then informed that after completing all the tasks and transferring more money, the full amount along with his commission would be credited to his bank account. Believing this, the complainant transferred a total of R 1,23,000 in a phased manner.
However, when the complainant attempted to withdraw his earnings, he was sent a fake challan receipt claiming he needed to pay personal income tax to the Income Tax Department. This raised the complainant's suspicions, and upon inquiry, he realised that he had fallen victim to a fraud scheme.
A case has been registered at CEN Station, under Sections 66(C), 66(D) of the IT Act and Sections 318(4), 319(2) of the BNS Act.