Taloja Graduate Duped of ₹39.89 Lakh in Google Review Scam

Navi Mumbai: A 26-year-old commerce graduate from Taloja has become the latest victim of a cyber fraud after losing almost ₹40 lakh to conmen who promised her high returns for posting Google reviews and online investments.

How the Scam Began

As per police, the victim was first contacted through WhatsApp groups on September 4. The scammers presented her with an easy task — to leave reviews of restaurants and hotels on Google. For a review, she would get ₹50, and small amounts were actually credited into her account. This was the first step in winning her confidence.

The Investment Trap

When the victim was assured, she was told to install an app named Mint to proceed with the so-called investment processes. The culprits then inflated the game by demanding that she pay more for “merchant tasks” and joining “VIP advance groups.” They promised her that these payments would yield double or triple returns from investments in a product named BTCUSDT.

Losses Mount to ₹39.89 Lakh

Predisposed by the promises, the woman sent money several times, only to later discover that she had been cheated. She lost a total of ₹39.89 lakh to the fraudsters.

Police Investigation Ongoing

A complaint has been lodged, and the Navi Mumbai police have commenced an investigation. Police officers have exhorted citizens to exercise caution with online offers that offer very high returns, particularly those that involve unknown apps or cryptocurrency-based products.

Cybercrime authorities also encouraged individuals to check the validity of any investment plan and not to make payments to unfamiliar accounts or applications.