Kochi ‘work-from-home’ scam: Woman loses ₹5.75 lakh, lured through Instagram reels

Kochi: A Kochi woman filed a complaint alleging she was cheated of ₹5,75,000 after being promised an opportunity to earn money working from home. The victim, a resident of Fort Kochi, reportedly fell prey to the fraud over the past few months.

The scam began when she came across an advertisement while scrolling through Instagram Reels. The ad promised daily or monthly income for those willing to do work-from-home tasks. When she clicked on it for more details, she was redirected to a WhatsApp chat.

A man, introducing himself as an HR assistant at a Chettinad restaurant in Kaduvancheri, began chatting with her. He told her she could earn ₹5,000 per day by writing reviews about restaurants. After she completed a few tasks, the fraudsters transferred ₹4,130 to her bank account as payment for the initial assignments. This continued for a few days, leading her to trust them completely.

Later, the man convinced her that if she paid an advance amount, she would receive more lucrative tasks and double her earnings. Believing him, the woman transferred a total of ₹5,75,000 in several instalments from her two bank accounts to multiple accounts provided by the fraudsters.

After receiving the money, the scammers stopped responding and blocked her. It was then that she realised she had been duped.

The woman lodged a complaint with the police, who have registered a case and launched an investigation to identify those behind the fraud.