Lucknow — In yet another sign of how digital fraudsters are exploiting everyday apps, a 28-year-old woman from the city’s Madiyaon neighbourhood was defrauded of nearly ₹1.79 lakh after she was lured into performing “paid tasks” on the messaging platform Telegram.
The victim, Jahnvi Mishra, told the police that she was added to a Telegram group called Nexus on August 22, 2025, where members promised her a monthly salary of ₹50,000 in exchange for completing three simple online assignments.
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A Promise of Easy Money
At first, she was asked to make a small transfer of ₹5,599 as part of a so-called “initial task.” More demands followed: ₹32,000, ₹67,000, and eventually an additional ₹74,599, after she was told she had “purchased the wrong order” and now needed to complete a “repair task.”
By the end of August, she had transferred a total of ₹1.79 lakh.
The Fraud Unravels
When the fraudsters later asked for her personal photographs and identification documents for “verification,” Ms. Mishra refused. At that point, the individual behind the scheme admitted that he alone was operating the entire group — and that the 444 members listed in the chat were all fake profiles he had created.
Police Response
A case has been registered at the Madiyaon police station. Inspector Shivanand Mishra said the matter was under investigation, with assistance from the cybercrime cell to trace digital evidence.
Expert’s Warning
Cybersecurity expert and former IPS officer Professor Triveni Singh said the case reflected a growing trend of frauds exploiting social messaging apps.
“These scams thrive on psychological pressure and the illusion of easy income. Fraudsters build elaborate fake groups and identities to manipulate victims into trusting them,” he said. “Users must be cautious of unsolicited offers online. Any request for money or personal details should immediately raise red flags, and suspicions must be reported to cyber helplines or local police without delay.”