The victim, a resident of Dombivali township, lost Rs 17.33 lakh in the fraud from December 8, 2023, to January 9.
A computer technician from Thane district in Maharashtra has become the latest victim of an online fraud wherein fraudsters lured him with the promise to earn quick money by rating some tasks and investing in bitcoins, a police official said on Wednesday.
The victim, a resident of Dombivali township, lost Rs 17.33 lakh in the fraud from December 8, 2023, to January 9.
"The victim was approached with offers to earn big money through social media platforms. He was promised huge returns simply by rating certain online tasks and investing in bitcoins. The victim invested Rs 17.33 lakh over a month. He failed to receive any returns and his investment was also blocked," the official said.
The "online task fraud" typically involves trapping victims by making them perform tasks like liking videos etc. and making small payments initially to win their trust. The victims were later lured to invest money to earn big returns.
A case was registered under the Information Technology Act and further investigation is underway, the official added.