Pune: 23-Year-Old Kothrud Woman Loses Rs 32 Lakh in Online Google Reviews Scheme
Varad Bhatkhande
Pune, 18th April 2024: A 23-year-old woman from Kothrud was defrauded of Rs 32 lakh in a scheme where the accused promised her earnings of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per day for writing Google reviews. This online incident occurred from December 13, 2023, to February 12, 2024, within the jurisdiction of the Alankar Police Station.
The woman reported the crime to the Alankar Police Station, where the police have filed a case against an unidentified individual.
According to the police, an unknown person contacted the complainant with an offer for a part-time job. She was added to a Telegram group where she was promised earnings for writing Google reviews. Instead, the complainant ended up transferring Rs 32,18,003 to various bank accounts as taxes. The accused then committed financial fraud by failing to pay the promised money and not returning any of the funds to the complainant.
The complainant was told by a receptionist (Telegram Id – @priya9598888), to contact Telegram IDs such as @coindxda and @Tax0003, as well as @coindcx00. From these, the complainant provided transfers to bank accounts associated with Ranahomedecor0-1@okicici and quaromukul@oksbi.
Senior Police Inspector Sunita Rokade of Alankar Police Station told Punekar News, “The task also involved Google coins. The accused repeatedly sent the complainant OTPs, and she provided them without question. This is how the accused was able to obtain such a large sum of money.”
The Alankar Police Station has registered a case under Indian Penal Code sections 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), as well as the Information Technology Act of 2000. The investigation into the matter is ongoing.
