Ahmedabad Pharma Employee Loses ₹2.59 Lakh In Fake Flipkart Task Scam
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
A 36-year-old pharmaceutical company employee from Ahmedabad allegedly lost ₹2.59 lakh after fraudsters posing as Flipkart representatives lured her into a fake online task scam through WhatsApp and Telegram. The Gujarat University Police have registered a cyber fraud case and launched an investigation.
According to police, Priyal Devang Shah, a resident of Prayas Society near Gulbai Tekra, works with Cadila Pharma in Bakrol.
Fake tasks, real money
The fraud allegedly began on April 23, when Shah was added to a WhatsApp group without her knowledge. The group claimed participants could earn commissions by completing simple online tasks involving Flipkart products.
She was directed to a WhatsApp account operating under the name "Emaa Brokes", where the operator claimed to be a human resources representative. She was later shifted to Telegram, where accounts using the names "Ishita Sharma" and "Flipkart Instructor Ramesh" allegedly guided her through the tasks.
Initially, Shah was asked to open product links, take screenshots and send them back. After completing a few assignments, she received ₹200 in her ICICI Bank account, making the scheme appear genuine.
Fraud escalates to ₹2.59 lakh
The next day, she was instructed to invest ₹1,000 through UPI to unlock higher-paying tasks. After transferring the amount, she received ₹1,350, including the promised commission.
Encouraged by the returns, Shah was persuaded to participate in larger "premium tasks" that allegedly offered higher profits. Over the following days, she transferred money through multiple UPI IDs and bank accounts.
Police said the fraudsters ultimately convinced her to transfer ₹2.59 lakh under the pretext of completing tasks and unlocking withdrawals.
Withdrawal blocked
When Shah later attempted to withdraw her earnings, the operators allegedly demanded additional deposits to process the payout. Despite making further payments, neither her investment nor the promised returns were credited.
Realising she had been cheated, Shah approached the Gujarat University Police Station and lodged a complaint.
Police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons operating the WhatsApp group, WhatsApp account and Telegram profiles allegedly used in the fraud.
