Mumbai man loses Rs 10 lakh in task completion scam: Here's how it works

The victim was offered a part-time job. Eventually, he was asked to pay "fees" under the guise of earning lucrative returns, which never materialised

A new scam has surfaced, known as task completion fraud. In a recent incident, a 27-year-old electrician lost Rs 10 lakh after being lured into sending money with the promise of high returns. The victim was offered a part-time job involving simple online tasks, such as rating reviews and liking social media videos. Eventually, he was asked to pay "fees" under the guise of earning lucrative returns, which never materialised.

 

What is a task scam?

 

Task scams involve fraudsters pretending to be representatives of legitimate companies or organisations, offering victims paid work for completing simple tasks. Tasks could include clicking on links, watching videos, filling out surveys, or providing personal information.

 

How task scams work

 

According to the Mumbai police,

 

< Scammers advertise fake job opportunities on social media, email, or job boards.

< They may claim to represent a legitimate organisation or create entirely fake entities.

< Victims are given seemingly simple tasks to complete, like clicking links or rating content.

< Fraudsters ask for upfront fees or personal information, including bank details.

< After receiving payments or data, scammers often disappear without providing work or money.

< In some cases, personal details are used for identity theft or other crimes.

 

How to protect yourself from task scams

 

“To safeguard against cyber fraud, individuals are advised to exercise due diligence by avoiding unsolicited offers that promise high returns for minimal effort. Furthermore, the credibility of any part-time job or online task scheme, especially those requiring upfront payments, must be first verified,” said Ketan Mukhija, Senior Partner at Burgeon Law.

 

What to do if you’ve been scammed

 

“In case of fraud, the first step is to immediately notify your bank to freeze transactions and file a detailed complaint with the local cybercrime cell or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal,” Mukhija explained.

 

He added, “Victims can also pursue legal remedies by registering an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Timely action is critical to enhance recovery prospects and initiate legal proceedings against the perpetrators.”

 

What happened in this case?

 

The victim, employed with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, received a call in October from a woman offering a part-time job, according to Mumbai police.

 

She sent him a WhatsApp link, asking him to complete tasks such as rating reviews and liking social media videos. "To gain the victim’s trust, the fraudsters initially sent him Rs 200 for successfully completing a task. He was then added to a Telegram group," the official said.

 

The victim was promised higher returns after sending small payments as fees for completing tasks. Believing the promise, he transferred Rs 10 lakh to accounts provided via the WhatsApp group.

 

“He failed to get the promised returns, and attempts to contact the woman went unanswered,” the police added. Realising he had been duped, the victim approached the BKC police station, leading to a case being registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act.