Man from Mangaluru loses Rs 56.7 lakh after falling for Like YouTube Video scam

A 57-year-old man from Mangaluru lost Rs 56.7 lakh after being tricked into a fraudulent task-based scheme involving liking and subscribing to YouTube videos. The victim reportedly received a message about a task based part time job in which he was asked to like some videos and based on that he was praised for high returns. The incident was reported to the Cyber Economic and Narcotic police, who are currently investigating the matter.
According to the case as reported by The Hindu. The scam began when the victim, who owns a bookstore in Puttur, received a WhatsApp message on October 10. In the message the sender promised the victim an opportunity to earn easy money in exchange for completing simple tasks, such as subscribing to YouTube videos and sending screenshots to prove completion. Curious, the victim responded to the message and was directed to subscribe to a YouTube channel and send proof of the task.
Initially, the victim was paid small amounts-Rs 123 and Rs 492-for completing two tasks. Encouraged by the quick earnings, the victim was then lured deeper into the scam. Soon after completing a few YouTube tasks, the scammer directed the victim to a Telegram group for additional tasks, where he was asked to deposit money in exchange for a higher commission. For a short while, the victim received small returns, amounting to around Rs 52,000 in total. This further lured the victim into investing more both from his account and those of his friends, into various bank accounts provided by the scammers.
But as the tasks continued and the sums the victim deposited grew larger, scammers stopped returning his money or the promised profits. Realising that he had been duped, the victim attempted to contact the scammers, only to find that they had disappeared. Eventually, he reported the incident to the CEN police station, where a case was registered under Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, as well as under Sections 61(2), 318(2), and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Notably, this is not an isolated case of online sca where scammers managed to lure victims into depositing money in return for substantial profit. For the past few years many cases have been reported where victims shared how they received messages on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram about tasks like reviewing hotels on Google or liking YouTube videos. However, as victims got more invested they ended up losing money to these cyber hawkers.
As online fraud continues to rise across the country, it is very important to remain vigilant when engaging in any form of online transaction, especially when you get messages or calls from unknown numbers. Here are some important safety tips to help avoid falling prey to online scams:
– Always double-check the authenticity of messages, especially those that promise easy money or rewards.
– Avoid sharing personal information with anyone, such as your UPI details, bank account numbers, or passwords, through messaging platforms.
– Beware of ‘Too Good to Be True’ offers. Avoid engaging in any schemes that promise high returns for minimal effort.
– Avoid transferring money to unknown accounts or individuals online.
– If you suspect that you have been targeted by an online scam, report the incident immediately to the appropriate authorities.