BCom student cheated of ₹7 lakh in Telegram ‘hotel review’ task scam in Ahmedabad

A 19-year-old BCom student from Nana Chiloda has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police Station, alleging that he was defrauded of more than ₹7 lakh by a group of online scammers who lured him with the promise of lucrative payments for completing 'hotel review' tasks on Telegram.

As per the FIR filed by Omprakash Narendrakumar Tehelyani, the fraud occurred between June 7 and 10, 2025, during which he was systematically manipulated by individuals identifying themselves as 'HR Esha', 'Sharon' and 'Manish Kumar'. These individuals operated through WhatsApp and Telegram, using multiple links and IDs, and allegedly executed a “pre-planned conspiracy” aimed at extracting money under the guise of paid online tasks.

How the scam unfolded

The complaint states that on June 7, Omprakash received a WhatsApp message, from a woman claiming to be 'HR Esha', offering a work-from-home opportunity. She shared a Google Maps link and added him to a Telegram group, where further instructions were provided.

Once in the group, Omprakash was contacted by an account named Sharon, who provided him with hotel review tasks. Another account, identified as ManishKumar, supervised task submissions and payments.

To build trust, the fraudsters first asked him to complete small assignments. After finishing initial review tasks, he received ₹150 and later ₹1,420 in his Kotak Bank account. The FIR notes that these small initial payments convinced him that the platform was legitimate.

Gradual escalation and financial loss

The fraudsters then informed him that he could earn significantly higher profits by completing “prepaid tasks”, for which he would need to deposit money first. Believing the scheme to be genuine, Omprakash transferred funds from his Kotak Bank and Axis Bank accounts.

Over four days, he deposited ₹7.10 lakh into various accounts provided by the scammers. Though he was allowed to withdraw ₹1,570, he was soon told that additional charges needed to be paid before he could withdraw the full amount along with his supposed profit.

When he refused to pay further, the accused stopped responding. It was then that he realised he had been cheated.

Failed helpline attempt and delayed reporting

On June 15, the complainant attempted to report the incident to the national Cyber Crime Helpline (1930), but said he did not receive an acknowledgement. He later submitted an online complaint and subsequently approached the Cyber Crime Police Station in person on November 27, where a formal FIR was registered.

Police note pattern of structured digital fraud

The FIR details that the accused used WhatsApp and Telegram accounts under false identities and directed the complainant to transfer money repeatedly into bank accounts associated with different individuals across multiple banks.

According to the complaint, the fraudsters “gained trust by allowing a small withdrawal before demanding increasingly large deposits under the pretext of charges”.

Cyber Crime officials said the fraud bore the hallmarks of a structured digital task scam, commonly operated through offshore or anonymous networks using fake customer service identities, Telegram groups and task-based incentives to lure victims.

The Cyber Crime Police Station has recorded the statement and registered offences related to cheating, criminal conspiracy and IT Act violations. They are investigating the individuals operating the Telegram IDs, the WhatsApp number used to contact the complainant, and the bank accounts used to collect the money.

Efforts are underway to trace the money trail, identify the account holders, and ascertain whether the fraud network operates from within India or offshore.