You are the primary safeguard of your money

After some time, however, the complainant stopped receiving the payments. Distressed by this, she approached the Mumbai police’s cyber cell to register the FIR

South Mumbai’s cyber cell arrested two individuals recently, one of whom is a lawyer, over their allegedly involvement in a scam worth Rs 3 crore. After the arrest, the police froze Rs 14 lakh found in one of the bank accounts of the alleged accused. In August 2023, a complainant approached south Mumbai’s cyber cell to register a case against a girl. In a familiar pattern, the target was offered a part-time job of ‘liking’ videos on YouTube. Convinced by the offer, the complainant got on board and received returns for liking videos initially. Then, it escalated to the target being told to ‘pay’ the complainant by making ‘investments’ on which there would be returns.

After some time, however, the complainant stopped receiving the payments. Distressed by this, she approached the Mumbai police’s cyber cell to register the FIR.
During investigations, the police probed a bank account in which Rs 14.50 lakh was deposited. The bank account, which was traced to Nagpur, was said to be fraudulently opened.

Check the pattern and you will see why people continue to be lured by fraudsters. It begins with an offer that seems ‘golden’, so easy that it takes practically takes no effort. So, it seems like you are being paid to do ‘nothing’ literally.

This means confidence in this scheme and the person who made you the offer is gained. It is then that an escalation happens. You are made to pay. Even that may be designed as such that you are reassured with ‘returns’ till one day, your expert disappears into thin air altogether. Be wary of these cons. Do not think that well-heeled persons, white-collar professionals with impressive designations and labels cannot be scamsters. At times, this is an entire construct made to inveigle the targeted person. Stay sharp, make inquiries, act on suspicions and intuition and realise you are the primary safeguard of your money.

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