Mangaluru: A bookstore owner in Puttur reportedly fell victim to an online scam, resulting in a loss of Rs 56.7 lakh. According to police, the incident began on Oct 10 when the complainant received a WhatsApp message about a task. After inquiring further, a YouTube link was sent, stating that the victim would receive money if they subscribed to the video and sent a screenshot on WhatsApp.Following these instructions, the complainant completed two tasks and sent the required screenshots.
Subsequently, the victim received a link to join Telegram, and he provided his profile and UPI link for the task. For completing the tasks, the victim initially received a total of Rs 492, with each task worth Rs 123. However, the victim was later informed that if money was deposited, he would receive a commission on additional tasks.
In this process, the complainant transferred money in stages from his and his friends' bank accounts to various accounts provided by unknown individuals. While the victim received around Rs 52,000 during the initial transactions, no further funds were returned. Ultimately, the victim allegedly lost Rs 56.7 lakh while attempting to complete the tasks online. A case has been registered at CEN police station.