A woman who is a resident of Burtuk, Swastik, Gangtok, has fallen victim to an online job scam and has filed a police compliant with the local police. The incident came to light when she received a Whatsapp message on May 4, from a SIM card registered under the number +84 522214681.
The sender identified herself as Shakira H.R from GGGPL (Grey Global Group Private Limited) and offered Sahay an online part-time job from the comfort of her home.
As the conversation progressed, she was introduced to a prepaid task or group project by an individual posing as an online fraudster.
The fraudster enticed her with the promise of receiving a minimum cashback upon depositing a certain amount.
On May 6, 2023, Sahay invested Rs. 1000/- in the prepaid task, and to her surprise, on May 9, 2023, she received a total of Rs. 19,500/- in return.
This initial success bolstered her confidence in the platform, leading her to invest a significant amount of Rs. 1,35,900/-. However, when Sahay attempted to withdraw her funds, she encountered difficulties.
Upon contacting the fraudsters, she was told to invest an additional Rs. 5,00,000/- in order to receive her payments.
Realizing that she had been deceived by the online financial fraudster she decided to lodge a report with the police.
The police have urged the public to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities to prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.
In light of this incident, cybersecurity experts emphasize the need for individuals to verify the authenticity of online job offers and exercise discretion while sharing personal and financial information online.