A Varanasi resident lost ₹3.59 lakh in an online part-time job fraud after cybercriminals reportedly used small initial payments and promised profits to gain his confidence before demanding increasingly larger sums of money.
The victim, identified as Yash Krishnani, has approached cybercrime police seeking assistance in recovering the money after a series of transactions carried out between August 11 and August 13.
The alleged fraud began with a seemingly routine part-time work opportunity, the complaint said, that was shared through a WhatsApp group. Krishnani received the job proposal on the morning of August 11 and agreed to participate. He was then provided with a Telegram link and added to a channel where instructions about the alleged work were communicated.
A woman who identified herself as a finance manager contacted Krishnani and explained how it would work, she said. In the complaint she told him that he would have to deposit money first as part of the work and then get his money back and a profit. The very first transactions helped convince him that it really was an opportunity.
The first payment was relatively small. Krishnani received instructions from the woman on 11 August for transferring ₹2,000 through UPI. He was paid back that amount and made an additional profit according to his account. This apparently engendered confidence in the scheme and encouraged him to continue with it.
The next morning he received another instruction to deposit ₹5,000. Krishnani deposited the amount through UPI at 10:25 am on August 12. Again, it was in the form of profit. In these initial successful transactions, it was claimed that the arrangement was legitimate and that larger deposits would lead to higher returns.
The situation changed once the fraudsters started asking for much more. Krishnani claimed that he was instructed to deposit money on the pretext of unlocking funds and getting more profits. He transferred ₹32,800 at around 1:44 pm and ₹20,000 at around 2:52 pm on August 12.
According to the complaint, the two transactions brought the amount deposited at that stage to ₹52,800. Krishnani was told an incorrect transaction had been made and redemption points were not working, the complaint said. His account was frozen and he was told to pay more to release the money.
The demands rose significantly later that day. Krishnani transferred ₹45,900 at about 5:40 pm and only minutes later ₹54,225 at around 5:44 pm. He then paid ₹26,650 at 7:34 pm and ₹35,875 at 7:45 pm. The payments made in this period were ₹2,20,450 on August 12, he said.
Despite the repeated transfers, the promised withdrawal or refund did not happen. Instead, the demands continued on August 13. Krishnani said he received another message through Telegram informing him that another payment was required before his earlier deposits could be released.
The victim told those who were communicating with him that he was unable to arrange additional money. But they wanted him to find the money and make another payment, he said. Krishnani later transferred ₹19,542 through UPI at 11:21 a.m. on August 13, after being told that the money would be back later that day.
The demands grew even higher after Krishnani said another ₹1 lakh was requested within 20 minutes, followed by another request for ₹20,000. When he said he couldn’t arrange another ₹1.7 lakh, the communication ended abruptly. He said the people blocked his number and deleted him from the Telegram group.
Krishnani says that he was cheated of around ₹3.59 lakh in 11 transactions. He has approached cybercrime authorities to recover his money and asked that the fraud be investigated. At the time of the report, his complaint had not yet been registered online.
The case shows the pattern of online employment and investment frauds: criminals will first offer small returns or refunds to demonstrate their credibility before convincing victims to transfer larger amounts. Once large sums have been paid, victims can be confronted with additional demands that may include account activation, withdrawal charges, verification payments or other purported requirements.
The use of WhatsApp and Telegram in the alleged fraud also demonstrates how cybercriminals can shift victims from one communication platform to another. A job offer will begin on one platform before instructions, payment details and further communication are transferred. It’s hard for victims to verify the identity of the people behind the offer.
The case also serves as a reminder of the need to treat online job opportunities that provide very high or even guaranteed returns with caution. And genuine employers don’t need applicants to transfer money on a regular basis to get their money back. Payments through personal bank accounts, UPI IDs, or any other informal system of payment should be thoroughly approved before making the transaction.
For investigators, transaction records could be essential in tracing the movement of the alleged fraud proceeds. Bank account details, UPI transaction information, phone numbers, Telegram accounts and WhatsApp communications may help authorities identify the people behind the operation.
The alleged ₹3.59 lakh loss is also a reminder of how quickly a small financial transaction can turn into a major loss. The initial ₹2,000 payment and the reported profit allegedly helped establish trust, and subsequent requests gradually increased the amount at risk.
As the complaint moves through cybercrime investigations, investigators will have to trace the identities of those involved; track the money transferred and determine if other people might be targeted by the same scheme. The investigation might also reveal if the bank accounts and digital identities used in the alleged fraud are connected to other complaints.
The incident highlights the need to remain cautious when receiving unsolicited employment offers through messaging platforms. Checking the company, checking official recruitment channels and avoiding advance payments can help reduce exposure to such scams.
Until now, the allegations are the subject of investigation and the accused individuals have not been established in court. Krishnani’s complaint has also raised awareness of the growing problem of part-time job scams in which small initial profits are allegedly used to build trust before victims are forced to pay much larger payments.
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