Cybercrooks use ‘task game’, loot over ₹15 cr from victims

Visakhapatnam: Cases related to online ‘task game’ fraud have been on the rise in Vizag, Vijayawada and a few other cities and towns in AP. The victims have lost over 15 crore in the new trend in cybercrimes and many victims have not come forward to register complaints. Cybercrooks have been duping netizens, particularly unemployed youngsters, students, housewives and those working in BPOs and IT firms in the guise of ‘task games.’Vizag city police chief Dr CM Thrivikram Varma said online fraudsters have duped more than 70 people in Vizag city to the tune of around 10 crore so far this year in the guise of ‘task games.’ Though the number of victims is more in the new type of frauds, some victims do not come forward to lodge complaints, he added. Speaking to TOI, inspector of cybercrimes police station K Bhavani Prasad said the cybercrooks collect details of people from various job sites and target them. They lure victims in the name of online part-time jobs. The fraudsters would send messages to their targets. If they click those links, it would redirect them to a separate WhatsApp group and they would be asked to write reviews on restaurants and others for which they would be promised a sum of 200 to 500. Later, they become victims of fraud, he added. Bhavani Prasad said one girl wrote reviews on restaurants and she was paid. Later, she was informed that she would be sent to another group in which some new tasks will be given. She became addicted to that group which had four members including a tutor. The fraudsters asked her to pay 5,000 by promising her 6,000 in return. Eyeing the profits, the girl sent over 20 lakh to the fraudsters and finally realized that she was cheated. Similarly, a 30-year-old man, an employee with a private firm, lost over 10 lakh, Bhavani Prasad added.
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