The Centre has taken action against over 100 websites involved in organized investment and part-time job scams. These websites were found to be facilitating illegal investment-related crimes and were operated by overseas cyber threat actors. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that these fraudsters used digital advertisements, chat messengers, mule and rented accounts to carry out their activities.
The MHA also revealed that the proceeds from these economic frauds were being laundered out of India using card networks, cryptocurrencies, overseas ATM withdrawals, and international Fintech companies. The MHA emphasized its commitment to curbing cybercrime and protecting people from cyber threats under the guidance of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah.
The Centre explained the modus operandi of these fraudsters. They targeted potential victims, including retired employees, women, and unemployed youth, by launching digital advertisements on platforms like Google and Meta. These advertisements used keywords like “ghar baithe job” (work from home job) and “ghar baithe kamai kaise karen” (how to earn money from home) in multiple languages.
Once a potential victim clicked on the advertisement, an agent would initiate a conversation using WhatsApp or Telegram. The agent would convince the victim to perform tasks such as video likes, subscriptions, and maps ratings. After gaining the victim’s trust, the fraudsters would dupe them by freezing their deposits when a larger sum was deposited.
To stay safe from job scams, the Centre advises exercising due diligence before investing in high commission-paying online schemes. It also warns against performing financial transactions without verification when contacted by unknown individuals on WhatsApp or Telegram. Checking the receiver’s name mentioned in the UPI app and verifying the source of the initial commission is also recommended.
Citizens are urged to refrain from transactions with unknown accounts, as they may be involved in money laundering and even terror financing. The Centre encourages reporting phone numbers and social media handles used by fraudsters to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
The Centre’s efforts to combat these scams demonstrate its commitment to protecting people from cyber threats and ensuring the safety of online transactions.
