A 32-year-old man from Dudelav village in Gujarat’s Vadodara district allegedly lost ₹27.24 lakh after falling victim to a work-from-home cyber fraud. The fraudsters reportedly approached him through WhatsApp with an offer of earning ₹2,400 to ₹5,600 a day by working for three to four hours. After initially returning money for completed tasks, the accused allegedly gained his confidence and later persuaded him to deposit increasingly larger amounts for high-value assignments.
According to Vadodara Rural Police, the victim, Avinash Ramanbhai Solanki, received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number on June 26, 2025. The message offered part-time work with daily earnings ranging from ₹2,400 to ₹5,600. After he showed interest, a woman identifying herself as Priyanka Mohan allegedly contacted him through WhatsApp and sent him a link.
According to the complaint, the link directed Solanki to download an application identified as “Rent”. He was allegedly asked to enter his mobile number and bank account details into the application. The fraudsters then assigned him different tasks and instructed him to deposit money before completing them.
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Police said the accused initially returned some of the money after Solanki completed several tasks. This allegedly convinced him that the arrangement was genuine and encouraged him to continue. Once his confidence had been established, the fraudsters allegedly offered larger and more profitable tasks and began demanding higher deposits.
Following their instructions, Solanki made multiple transfers to different bank accounts. The total amount allegedly deposited by him eventually reached ₹27,24,036. When he sought the promised returns and asked for his deposited money to be released, the accused allegedly failed to make the payment. He then realised that he had been defrauded.
Waghodia Police registered a case on September 4, 2026, although the alleged fraud took place between June 26 and July 7, 2025. Police said the delay in registering the First Information Report was because Solanki had initially approached the cybercrime helpline 1930. His complaint was subsequently investigated and, after the fraud was established, the FIR was registered.
Two suspects have been named in the complaint. One is Priyanka Mohan, whose full name and address have not yet been established. The second suspect has been identified as “Hidaya Kari”, with investigators currently having limited details about the person, including a mobile number.
Investigators are now examining the bank accounts into which Solanki was allegedly instructed to transfer money. Police are also checking the mobile numbers, WhatsApp communications, application used in the scheme and digital transaction records associated with the fraud.
Authorities are also trying to determine whether the accused used the same method to target other victims. Investigators are expected to examine the transaction trail to identify the final beneficiaries of the money and establish whether the bank accounts were used exclusively for this case or were part of a wider cyber fraud network.
The case highlights a common pattern in work-from-home and online task scams. Fraudsters initially offer easy tasks and promise fixed earnings to attract victims. Small payments or refunds are often made at the beginning to build confidence. Once trust is established, victims are encouraged to take up higher-value assignments and deposit larger sums. Eventually, the promised returns stop and the fraudsters become unreachable.
Cybercrime investigators advise people not to transfer money simply to obtain an online job, complete a task or unlock promised earnings. Any demand for advance payment from an unknown employer or online contact should be treated as a major warning sign.
