Gangtok: A resident of the Mangan district in Sikkim has fallen victim to a sophisticated online job scam, losing a substantial sum of ₹6 lakh.
The fraudulent scheme unfolded after the 35-year-old woman responded to a deceptive work-from-home advertisement that she encountered on the social media platform, Facebook.
The victim, enticed by the promise of lucrative earnings for simple online tasks, initiated contact with the individuals whose details were provided in the advertisement. Trusting their claims of high returns, she proceeded to transfer funds in a series of transactions to various bank accounts furnished by the cybercriminals. These transactions occurred over a period of one week, between April 8th and April 15th.
Police reports indicate that the fraudsters employed a classic tactic of initially promising escalating financial rewards in exchange for each subsequent payment made by the victim. However, once the woman had transferred a total of ₹6 lakh, all communication from the scammers abruptly ceased, leaving her with significant financial loss and the realization that she had been defrauded.
Following the incident, the victim promptly lodged a formal complaint at the Sadar Police Station. In response, law enforcement officials have registered a case under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, specifically invoking Sections 318(3) (cheating), 319(2) (dishonest misappropriation of property), and 111(2)(b) (abetment).
Currently, police investigators are diligently pursuing the digital trail left by the perpetrators, working to trace the network of bank accounts and other digital footprints utilized in the commission of the crime. Authorities have assured the public that concerted efforts are underway to successfully identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for this fraudulent activity, with the aim of curbing further instances of such scams targeting vulnerable job seekers in the region.
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