Rising threat of WFH scams continues as innocent victim loses Rs 31 lakh in online fraud

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Telegram message offering a part-time job, soon found himself embroiled in a sophisticated network of deception that left him devastated. The scam began innocently enough when the victim responded to a Telegram message expressing interest in a part-time opportunity. Little did he know that this simple act would open the floodgates to a series of nefarious activities orchestrated by the criminals.

Initially, he was instructed to engage in mundane tasks like liking YouTube videos and sharing screenshots of his activities on the same Telegram number. Astonishingly, he even received payments for these seemingly harmless tasks, which added to the illusion of legitimacy. A few days later, the stakes were raised as he was invited to join a 'Value Added Task' group, where a supposed admin assured him of guidance and further earning opportunities.

To solidify their credibility, the victim was encouraged to request additional tasks, which often involved liking, sharing, and screenshotting videos through website links. The criminals gradually introduced him to the world of cryptocurrency and persuaded him to set up a crypto wallet for financial transactions. Trusting the process and the promises of profits, the victim followed instructions diligently, even venturing into cryptocurrency trading by purchasing USDT, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, and transferring it to another wallet provided by the fraudsters.