Title: Beware of Scam: Tamil Nadu Police Warns Against ‘Like, Earn Money’ Fraud on WhatsApp
Subtitle: Cybercriminals use social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram to exploit victims’ desires for quick money
Date: [Current Date]
Image credit: Getty Images
[City Name], [State Name] – A new type of fraud has emerged through WhatsApp that promises individuals the opportunity to earn money by simply ‘liking’ social media pages like YouTube and Instagram. However, falling for this scam has resulted in victims losing tens of thousands of rupees. The Tamil Nadu Police warns the public about this growing fraud and provides insights into how it operates.
The scam begins with an individual introducing themselves as a representative of a digital marketing company through WhatsApp. They convince potential victims that they can help them secure a job related to YouTube. The initial tasks only involve following and liking specific YouTube channels for a small monetary reward, typically ranging from 50 to 100 rupees per task. No registration fee is mentioned at this point, making the offer appear attractive to unsuspecting individuals.
However, what seems like an easy way to earn money quickly turns into a devious trap. Cybersecurity expert Hariharasudan Thangavelu explains that after a few days, a finance officer enters the picture. They request personal details, including bank account numbers, and connect victims to a Telegram group alongside others who claim to have received their payments. These group members effectively act as bait, showcasing their alleged earnings and tempting victims to invest more money to receive larger returns.
To join the group officially, scammers provide an Excel sheet with a membership fee mentioned, typically ranging up to 5,000 rupees. They assure victims that this investment will yield significant returns. However, victims are unable to withdraw their earnings until their account balance reaches 1 lakh rupees. Meanwhile, they continue to receive requests to like and subscribe to YouTube channels in exchange for small amounts of money.
The fraudsters prolong the process and manipulate victims to keep investing more significant sums of money. This is done to delay any reports of fraud since payment gateways have a maximum time frame within which they can reverse transactions. Amidst the turmoil, scammers change payment recipients, making it difficult for victims to track or report the crime effectively.
Tamil Nadu Cybercrime Police have warned the public about this scam, which has resulted in victims losing substantial amounts of money. Some victims have been defrauded of up to 1 crore rupees, falling prey to false promises of high returns. Police officials claim to receive more than 200 complaints daily, highlighting the scale of this fraudulent scheme.
The police encourage individuals to report such incidents to their dedicated helpline number, 1930, to maximize the chances of recovering their lost funds. However, they caution that the recovery process becomes increasingly challenging as time elapses due to the scammers’ tactics, such as converting money into cryptocurrencies and transferring it out of the country.
The underlying issue contributing to the success of these scams is individuals’ desire to make quick money. The fraud operation begins on WhatsApp but has extended to public gatherings in some cities. Experts predict that this scam will eventually gain widespread attention, and caution everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities to prevent further financial losses.
Additional Director General of Tamil Nadu Police, Sanjay Kumar, reveals that the police receive more than 250 complaints daily related to online fraud. Authorities are actively working to combat these scams, but community awareness and vigilance remain essential in thwarting their operations.
Stay safe online and remember that legitimate means of earning money do not typically involve unrealistic promises and high returns for minimal effort.
Image credit: Sanjay Kumar
[City Name], [State Name]