Pune: A 34-year-old woman working in the private sector has allegedly lost ₹28.77 lakh after falling victim to an online work-from-home scam promising payments for reviewing hotels. The woman, who lives in Wakad, was approached through a social media advertisement offering easy earnings through online assignments. The Wakad police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the fraud.
The woman reportedly joined the scheme on September 13 after being offered ₹200 for completing an initial hotel review task. Following this, the fraudsters encouraged her to take up paid assignments, assuring her of higher returns on larger deposits.
To gain her confidence, the scammers initially returned her investments along with additional payments. She first transferred ₹800 and received ₹1,040, followed by another deposit of ₹1,000 that earned her ₹1,350. These transactions convinced her to continue participating in the scheme.
However, after she deposited ₹7,000 expecting a return of ₹9,100, the promised payment never arrived. The fraudsters subsequently demanded more money, claiming additional deposits were necessary to resolve payment issues and release her pending earnings.
Between September 13 and October 2, the woman deposited ₹10 lakh through cash deposit machines and transferred another ₹18.77 lakh through online banking channels. She eventually realised she had been cheated when neither her investments nor the promised profits were returned.
She approached the Wakad police on Saturday, following which an investigation was initiated. Police are examining the bank accounts involved, tracing the money trail and identifying those behind the operation. No arrests have been reported so far.
