Two held for `task fraud', transactions of Rs 60 crore found in bank accounts

Mumbai Police has arrested two cyber fraudsters from Gujarat who allegedly cheated people by offering them easy online jobs or `tasks’, an official said here on Friday.

The bank accounts used by the accused showed financial transactions of a whopping Rs 60 crore in three months and police has freezed Rs 1.1 crore in these accounts, he added.

Probe began after a 19-year-old student staying in the hostel of the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute here lodged a complaint stating that he had been duped by unidentified fraudsters.

They approached him through WhatsApp and offered him `part time’ online work or `tasks’ for a good amount of money. He was then added to a Telegram channel, the complaint said.

Later, the fraudsters asked him to deposit money in different accounts, promising even better returns. He lost Rs 2.45 lakh in this way before realising that it was a scam, the student told police.

Matunga police in the city tracked down the culprits from the bank accounts in which money had been deposited and arrested Rupesh Thakkar (33) and Pankaj Bhai Oad (34) from Gandhinagar in Gujarat a day ago.

Police also recovered 33 debit/credit cards, 32 cheque books of various banks, six mobile phone and 28 SIM cards from the accused who were booked under Indian Penal Code section 420 (cheating) and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.

Further probe was on, the official said.