Online Job Scam: Pimpri-Chinchwad Homemaker Cheated of Rs 9.75 Lakh in Chikhali

Pimpri-Chinchwad, PCMC: A distressing incident unfolded in Chikhali as a 30-year-old homemaker fell victim to an online fraud, losing a staggering sum of Rs 9.75 lakh in the first week of April. The fraudsters cunningly enticed the victim with the promise of a lucrative part-time online job, only to deceive her and exploit her hard-earned savings.

The unfortunate incident came to light when the victim, a commerce graduate who had previously worked for a private firm, lodged a complaint with the Pimpri Chinchwad police station. Subsequently, the case was transferred to the Chikhali police station for further investigation on Thursday.

According to the authorities, the victim’s quest for a part-time job took a fateful turn when she received a message on April 3. The message, luring her with the prospects of substantial earnings for a mere one hour of work each day, captivated her interest. Intrigued by the opportunity, she was instructed to join a group on a popular messenger app, where she was assigned several online tasks and duly compensated for her efforts. However, this was merely the deceptive prelude to a meticulously orchestrated fraud.

The fraudster, operating under the guise of an online employer, cunningly manipulated the victim’s trust by persuading her to undertake a prepaid task with the promise of even greater returns. Falling prey to the ploy, the victim, between April 3 and 5, disbursed a staggering amount of Rs 9.75 lakh from both her personal savings and her husband’s.

It was only when the fraudster demanded additional funds for the withdrawal of a supposed profit of Rs 3.7 lakh that the victim realized she had been ensnared in a web of deceit. Overwhelmed by the devastating truth, she promptly alerted the authorities, prompting a thorough investigation into the matter.

As the investigation unfolds, preliminary findings have revealed that the victim’s hard-earned money was siphoned off to bank accounts held in private banks across multiple locations. These include Andheri, Borivali, and Kurla in Mumbai, as well as Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh.