In a startling revelation, two college dropouts in Gujarat have left a trail of deceit and financial ruin, orchestrating a massive scam that defrauded unsuspecting individuals of a staggering Rs. 60 crore within a span of just three months.
Rupesh Pravikumar Thakkar, 33, and Pankajbhai Govardhan Oad, 34, devised a cunning scheme that involved fake online job offerings and enticing investment promises, ultimately ensnaring numerous victims in their web of deception.
The Unraveling of the Scam
The elaborate scam began with a 19-year-old student named Krish, who stumbled upon an enticing online job advertisement promising lucrative returns for writing restaurant reviews. Little did he know that this seemingly golden opportunity was the first step into a well-laid trap.
The fraudsters, operating under the guise of offering weekly salaries of Rs 10,000 and daily bonuses ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000, managed to lure Krish into their scheme.
As if the fake job offer wasn’t enough, Krish was further enticed into investing money by a woman named Maria, who pledged even greater profits. Maria coaxed Krish into investing Rs. 1,000, assuring him a profit of Rs. 300.
The stakes were raised, with promises of Rs. 600 for a Rs. 2,000 investment and Rs. 900 for Rs. 3,000. Falling prey to these enticing promises, Krish invested Rs. 1,000 and received messages claiming he had earned Rs. 1,650. However, when he attempted to withdraw his supposed earnings, he found himself unable to do so.
The Police Intervention
The Mumbai Police, spurred into action by a complaint from a teenager who lost Rs. 2.45 lakh to the scam, embarked on a meticulous investigation.
Collaborating with cybercrime experts, they tracked down and apprehended the two masterminds behind the fraudulent operation, Rupesh Pravikumar Thakkar and Pankajbhai Govardhan Oad. The police, upon inspecting the duo’s bank accounts, discovered a staggering Rs. 1.1 crore, which they promptly blocked.
The Unfinished Puzzle
Despite the arrest of the two perpetrators, the police believe that the main orchestrator of the scam remains at large, potentially hiding in London. The intricate network of deception suggests that the arrested individuals were mere pawns in a larger game, leaving authorities on a quest to unravel the full extent of the fraudulent operation.
The Rs 60 crore online scam in Gujarat serves as a stark reminder of the evolving tactics employed by cybercriminals to exploit unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, so do the methods of deceit, requiring individuals to exercise caution and vigilance in their online interactions.
The authorities’ swift action in apprehending the two criminals provides a glimmer of hope for justice, but the investigation continues, underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime and protect potential victims from falling prey to such elaborate schemes.
