Can you picture a vegetable vendor using complex internet fraud to con people out of their hard-earned money? That’s precisely what occurred when a dishonest former vegetable dealer went bad and stole close to Rs 21 crore by tricking people into believing he was giving work-from-home opportunities.
Rishab, a 27-year-old Gurugram resident in Sector 9, allegedly actively participated in over 37 instances across ten Indian states, hence aiding in the commission of 855 frauds. He was taken into custody last week based on information discovered in his bank account, which he used to receive money.
The accused was allegedly a Faridabad-based vegetable trader. But as the COVID-19 epidemic started to impair his income, he had to liquidate the company and look for other work to maintain his family. The suspect “met an old friend who was already involved in orchestrating online frauds,” according to Uttarakhand Police Officer Ankush Mishra. Since he began committing crimes, he has made Rs 21 crore in only six months.
What Was His Operating System?
Inquiring about people’s interest in work-from-home options, Rishab kept a record of phone numbers. He developed a phony Marriott Bonvoy website called “marriotwork.com,” where customers were asked to provide “reviews,” in order to give the offer more legitimacy.
The most recent victim of his was an Uttarakhandi businessman. The article claims that when the person first got the work-from-home offer over WhatsApp, they thought it was real. The businessman then spoke with Sonia, his coworker, and “Rishab Sharma” from Marriott Bonvoy.
The con artists first deposited Rs 10,000 to the businessman’s ICICI bank account in an effort to establish confidence. Later, they made more payments. But as the businessman was encouraged to put more money into the possibility, doubts started to surface. The con artists ignored his questions regarding returns and made up promises of even bigger earnings when he asked about them.
They would get me to invest more each time I inquired for returns, saying the earnings may reach one crore. They eventually stopped answering my calls and texts, and the phones were disconnected. I had already invested Rs 20 lakh by then,” he said.
The con artist used this technique to defraud several people of their hard-earned money. He even allegedly sent money to China for cryptocurrencies and worked as an agent for a global gang, according to the police.
