Ahmedabad salesman loses ₹82,657 in Telegram task scam, cyber fraud case registered

A cyber fraud case has been registered after a salesman from Ahmedabad allegedly lost ₹82,657 to fraudsters operating through WhatsApp and Telegram who promised lucrative returns for completing online tasks.

Dineshkumar Bhuraram Ghanchi, 25, originally from Rajasthan and currently residing in Gomtipur, Ahmedabad, was approached on April 16 by a woman identifying herself as ‘Maya Sharma’. The caller allegedly offered him an opportunity to earn money from home by performing simple online tasks.

After expressing interest, he received instructions via WhatsApp to complete promotional tasks, including taking screenshots of products. He was subsequently directed to communicate with a Telegram user identifying herself as “Mehakpreet Kaur”, who allegedly introduced him to an online work group and explained the platform’s commission-based earning system.

The complainant initially received a payment of ₹200 after completing a task, which helped build his confidence in the scheme. He was then informed that certain “prepaid tasks” required participants to invest money upfront, with assurances that the amount would be returned along with substantial profits.

As part of the process, he was asked to register on an online platform identified as “ZENGO” and was later introduced to another Telegram user, “Vartik Dutt”, who allegedly acted as a mentor for higher-value tasks.

The complainant alleged that he was persuaded to make a series of payments under different investment plans. These included deposits of ₹1,013, ₹5,260, ₹19,800 and ₹58,200 after being promised progressively higher returns.

Initially, he received ₹1,616 as a refund and commission payment, reinforcing the belief that the scheme was genuine. However, after depositing larger sums, he was informed that errors had occurred during task completion and that additional payments would be required to unlock or recover his funds.

The fraudsters later demanded a further payment of ₹1.28 lakh to release the alleged earnings. When the complainant stated that he could not arrange the amount and requested a refund, the accused stopped responding to his messages and calls.

Realising that he had been cheated, the victim lodged a complaint with the national cybercrime helpline, 1930, and subsequently approached the police. Investigators said the complainant had deposited a total of ₹84,273 into various accounts linked to the fraudsters and recovered only ₹1,616, resulting in a net loss of ₹82,657.

Gomtipur police have registered a case against unidentified persons operating under the names Maya Sharma, Mehakpreet Kaur, and Vartik Dutt, along with the holders of the bank accounts that received the money. Investigators are examining digital evidence, transaction records and online communication details to trace those involved in the alleged cyber fraud.