Online jobs scam: Tax consultant loses Rs. 11 lakh in task fraud to cyber criminals | Tech News

Online jobs scam: Tax consultant loses Rs. 11 lakh in task fraud to cyber criminals

A 50-year-old tax consultant from Maharashtra's Thane district lost more than 11 lakh in a 'task fraud' wherein three cyber fraudsters, including two women, duped him under the pretext of providing part-time online jobs, police said.

By:PTI
| Updated on: Dec 24 2023, 07:18 IST
Cyber crime skyrocketed in 2022! In 2023, here is how to save your gadgets
cyber crime
1/7 As people have become more tech-savvy and started taking full advantage of the internet, the cases of cyber crime have also increased. Registration of cyber offences, including online frauds under the pretext of offering jobs, gifts etc. and payment of electricity bills, rose by 63.7 per cent to 4,718 in 2022 compared to 2,883 cases in 2021, according to the Mumbai Crime Report. Cyber crime cases in 2022 rose by 112 per cent compared to 2,225 cases registered during the pre-COVID period in 2019, according to a report by PTI. (REUTERS)
cyber crime
2/7 Post the COVID pandemic, crimes such as part-time job fraud, cheating in the name of cryptocurrency investment, insurance fraud, sextortion, and electricity bill fraud have risen, as per the report released. In 2022, a total of 2,170 cheating cases, including frauds like customs, gift, purchase, job, insurance, etc, were registered. In order to ditch criminals and stay safe online, here are 5 steps you can adopt. (AP)
cyber crime
3/7 Keep strong password: You need to keep a strong password that no one can crack. You are advised to avoid keeping your birthday, phone number, astro sign, among others as your password, as it can be easily guessed. Also, using a password manager will help you store and use a strong, unique password for each site you log into. (Reuters)
cyber crime
4/7 Use the browser with Enhanced security protection: To be even more secure while browsing the web, turn on Enhanced Safe Browsing protection. If you are a Chrome user, you can switch it on in your Chrome settings. It substantially increases protection from dangerous websites and downloads by sharing real-time data with Safe Browsing. (Unsplash)
cyber crime
5/7 Use 2-step verification: Two-factor authentication can use your phone to add an extra step to verify that it's you when you sign in. Signing in with both a password and a second step on your phone protects against password-stealing scams. (Pixabay)
cyber crime
6/7 Avoid clicking on links provided in suspicious mails: Several fraudsters use fake email id to woo people by offering them false job offers, rewards, etc., and ask them to click on certain links. If you click on those links you can end up losing your hard earned money. Also check if the email id is authentic or not before providing any personal details. (Pixabay)
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7/7 Install antivirus: You also need to install antivirus in your system to stay protected for viruses and other cyber attacks.  (Pixabay)
cyber crime
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Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, a resident of Rambaug area of Kalyan, a case was registered at the Mahatma Phule Chowk police station under provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act. (Pexels)

 A 50-year-old tax consultant from Maharashtra's Thane district lost more than 11 lakh in a 'task fraud' wherein three cyber fraudsters, including two women, duped him under the pretext of providing part-time online jobs, police said. Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, a resident of Rambaug area of Kalyan, a case was registered at the Mahatma Phule Chowk police station under provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act, they said. "The accused were identified as Priya Sharma, Devi and Bharat. While Priya posed as a representative of an international advertisement company and called the victim from an overseas number, the other two contacted him through a social messaging application," an official said. On December 11, the trio offered money for completing certain online tasks of giving positive reviews. Initially, they paid a few hundred rupees to him and later asked him to join some groups on Telegram app. They asked him to pay 11,31,200, assuring him of good returns, he said. However, when he sought returns from them, they started giving evasive replies. He realised that he has been duped, following which he approached the police and filed the complaint, he said.

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First Published Date: 24 Dec, 07:18 IST
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