Two Panchkula residents fell victim to online task frauds on Telegram, losing a combined total of ₹3.91 lakh in two separate incidents. The cyber crime police station in Panchkula received complaints from the victims, leading to investigations into these cases.
In the first incident, a youth named Rajat living in Sector 19 reported losing ₹2.33 lakh after being enticed into a fake online task scheme on Telegram. The perpetrators added him to a WhatsApp channel and then a Telegram group, promising him income for completing online tasks. Rajat was contacted by individuals using various Telegram IDs, including “HR Neetu Rajput” and “Agalya Sri”, who assigned him tasks. Initially, small payments were made to build Rajat’s trust, leading him to invest a total of ₹2,33,944 through his and his mother’s bank accounts for various tasks. However, when he tried to withdraw his earnings, he was told his account was frozen and needed to deposit more money to unfreeze it. Realizing he had been deceived, Rajat reported the incident to the police, who registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiated an investigation.
In the second incident, a woman from Sector 27, employed in an IT firm, lost ₹1.58 lakh in a similar Telegram task scam. The victim, Sonam, was added to a Telegram group called “kids club(68)” after being contacted on Facebook Messenger by someone claiming to be “Dane Collin Boden”. She was offered small amounts initially for completing tasks, gradually leading to larger investments totaling ₹1.58 lakh. Despite being informed of a balance in her bank account, she was unable to withdraw the funds due to alleged account freezing. Following instructions, Sonam deposited additional money but was ultimately unable to access her alleged earnings, prompting her to realize she had been scammed. An FIR was lodged, and cybercrime police are conducting an investigation based on charges mentioned in the BNS.
Moreover, in another online fraud case, a resident of Sector 12-A was tricked out of ₹2 lakh on March 5. The victim, Arun, received a call and a WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be his uncle, requesting urgent financial assistance for a project. Believing it to be a relative in need, Arun transferred ₹2 lakh via RTGS to the provided bank account, only to later discover that his uncle had not made the request. Falling victim to the scam, Arun reported the incident to the cybercrime police, leading to the registration of an FIR and an ongoing investigation under relevant sections of the BNS.
The growing number of cyber fraud cases highlights the importance of vigilance and caution while engaging in online activities, as perpetrators continue to devise new schemes to extort money from unsuspecting individuals. Law enforcement agencies are working diligently to investigate such cases and bring the culprits to justice, emphasizing the need for public awareness and cooperation in combating digital scams.