More than 20 residents of Visakhapatnam have allegedly lost over ₹1 crore within a month after falling victim to an online fraud involving paid Google reviews, Telegram task groups and fraudulent trading schemes. The accused reportedly attracted victims with promises of easy earnings, initially paid them small amounts and subsequently persuaded them to deposit larger sums.
Police have registered a case following multiple complaints and are investigating the suspected cyber fraud network.
How Did the Fraud Begin?
The fraud came to light after a 38-year-old resident received a Telegram message offering payments ranging from ₹100 to ₹200 for completing simple online tasks. After expressing interest, he was added to a VIP task group where participants were instructed to post Google reviews and submit screenshots as proof of completion.
A person identifying himself as Deepak, who claimed to be a customer manager, supervised the assignments and arranged payments. The complainant initially received ₹120 for each completed task, which encouraged him to continue participating. A few days later, he was asked to deposit ₹500 for another assignment and received ₹650 after completing it. He subsequently deposited ₹3,000 and received ₹4,300, reinforcing his belief that the arrangement was legitimate and profitable.
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How Were Victims Drawn Into Trading?
After gaining the complainant’s confidence through smaller payments, Deepak introduced him to another individual identified as Kabir, who claimed to be an operations manager. Kabir allegedly persuaded him to participate in online trading activities through a platform called Coin Digital Trading, operating at `www.cgcvip3001.net`.
The website was presented as an opportunity to earn higher profits, and the complainant was encouraged to transfer additional money. Having already received payments from earlier assignments, he believed the trading activities could generate similar returns on a larger scale. However, the arrangement changed when he attempted to withdraw his investment and the profits he had supposedly earned.
Why Were Withdrawals Blocked?
According to the complaint, Deepak and Kabir informed the victim that trading errors had caused his funds to become frozen. They allegedly demanded additional deposits, claiming the payments were necessary to reactivate his account and release the accumulated profits. Kabir subsequently referred him to another person identified as Manav, who presented himself as a withdrawal manager.
Manav allegedly demanded further payments to obtain a higher withdrawal order and later claimed that the complainant’s credit score was too low to permit withdrawal. The victim was repeatedly asked to transfer more money to resolve these supposed problems. Despite depositing more than ₹10 lakh, he was unable to recover his investment or receive the promised returns. He eventually realised that he had been cheated.
How Many People Lost Money?
The investigation revealed that the complainant was among more than 20 Visakhapatnam residents who had allegedly fallen victim to similar schemes within one month. Other victims reportedly lost amounts ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹9 lakh, while the cumulative losses exceeded ₹1 crore. The complaints indicated that the fraudsters followed a similar method of attracting participants through paid online assignments, building confidence with initial payments and gradually introducing investment activities requiring larger deposits.
Once victims attempted to withdraw their money, they were allegedly confronted with additional payment demands linked to trading errors, account restrictions or withdrawal procedures. These repeated demands prevented victims from recovering their funds while exposing them to further financial losses.
What Action Have Police Taken?
Following the complaints, Visakhapatnam city police registered a case against an alleged organised criminal group involving cheating, dishonestly inducing the delivery of property, impersonation and identity theft. Investigators are examining the activities of individuals who contacted victims through Telegram, managed online task groups and directed participants towards the suspected fraudulent trading platform. Police are also working to identify those responsible for collecting the money and determine how the funds were transferred after victims made their deposits. Further investigation is underway to identify the suspected fraudsters.
What Should Users Do?
- Avoid easy-money offers: Be cautious of Telegram or WhatsApp messages promising quick earnings for Google reviews, ratings or simple online tasks.
- Never pay to earn money: Legitimate employment opportunities should not require repeated deposits to unlock tasks, commissions or withdrawals.
- Do not trust initial payments: Fraudsters may transfer small amounts to gain confidence before demanding larger investments.
- Beware of withdrawal charges: Demands for additional payments to fix trading errors, improve credit scores or release profits are major warning signs.
- Protect banking information: Never share OTPs, UPI PINs, passwords or sensitive financial details with unknown individuals.
- Stop payments immediately: If a platform repeatedly demands money to release existing funds, stop transferring money and contact your bank.
- Report cyber fraud promptly: Call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. Preserve transaction receipts, chat messages, website links and account details as evidence.ecover the amounts lost by complainants.
The420 Insight
The Visakhapatnam fraud highlights how criminals can exploit seemingly legitimate online earning opportunities to persuade people to transfer substantial sums of money. The case demonstrates how initial payments and promises of easy profits can be used to establish trust before victims become trapped in repeated financial demands.
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