Part-Time Job Costs Rs 27 Lakh to a Hyderabadi

Hyderabad: A 40-year-old resident of Charminar was duped of Rs 27 lakh by fraudsters offering a bogus part-time job. Police said the victim was contacted by individuals promising earnings through product optimisation tasks on certain websites.

According to the police, the victim received small payouts to build trust. The scammers later introduced a so-called ‘auction lot investment scheme’, claiming that larger deposits would yield substantial bonuses upon task completion.

To reinforce credibility, the victim was added to a Telegram group with 55 members, where fake payment proofs were circulated, leading the victim to believe it was genuine, police said.

Under continuous pressure and threats of losing his initial investments, the victim made repeated transfers, some through accounts of friends and relatives who were unaware of the fraud. In total, about Rs 27 lakh was lost before the victim realised the scam and lodged a complaint via the cybercrime helpline 1930.

Hyderabad Cybercrime officials warned the public to be wary of unsolicited job or investment offers received through Telegram, WhatsApp, or social media. Fraudsters often lure victims with small initial returns and then coerce them into making large deposits. Group chats and payment proofs are frequently fabricated.

Citizens are advised not to transfer money to unknown individuals or unverified websites and to preserve all communication records in case of fraud. Victims can report incidents via the helpline 1930, cybercrime.gov.in, or the WhatsApp helpline 8712665171.