Posted By :  Admin1

A 42-year-old doctor from Vellore, Tamil Nadu, fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing ₹2.23 crore over a span of 19 days. The scam began when his wife received a message on Telegram offering a work-from-home opportunity that involved reviewing businesses and products. Initially, she was paid for her reviews, which built trust in the legitimacy of the job. 

As the couple's confidence grew, they were introduced to a "premium" Telegram group with around 30 members, all seemingly earning well from similar tasks. Unbeknownst to them, these profiles were fake, controlled by the scammers to create an illusion of credibility. The couple was persuaded to make upfront payments for more lucrative tasks. Between May 17 and June 4, they transferred a total of ₹2,23,94,993 to 18 different bank accounts across various states, including Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi.

Realizing they had been duped, the doctor approached the Kasaragod Cyber Police Station on June 8, leading to an extensive investigation. A key arrest was made in February 2025, when authorities apprehended Muhammed Noushad A T, a 45-year-old alleged serial cybercriminal from Payyannur. Noushad was reportedly managing several bank accounts used to launder the stolen money and had recruited unsuspecting individuals, mainly students and homemakers, to open bank accounts under the guise of an online trading business. 

The investigation also led to the arrest of Sunil Kumar Jhanwar, a 24-year-old from Jodhpur, who had personally received ₹18 lakh of the scammed money. Despite these arrests, the majority of the funds remain unrecovered. Authorities continue to caution the public about the prevalence of such scams and advise vigilance when approached with unsolicited job offers, especially those requiring upfront payments.