More than 20 residents of Visakhapatnam have allegedly lost over ₹1 crore within a month in an online fraud involving paid Google reviews, Telegram task groups and a purported trading platform. According to the supplied report, victims were first offered small payments for simple online assignments and were later encouraged to deposit larger sums in exchange for higher returns.
Police have registered a case and are investigating the suspected network. The reported pattern highlights how seemingly low-risk online tasks can be used to build trust before victims are directed towards questionable investment schemes.
How the Google Review Scam Allegedly Started
The case came to light after a 38-year-old Visakhapatnam resident received a Telegram message offering payments of ₹100 to ₹200 for completing simple online tasks.
After expressing interest, he was reportedly added to a VIP task group and instructed to post Google reviews and submit screenshots as proof. A person identifying himself as Deepak, who claimed to be a customer manager, allegedly coordinated the tasks and arranged payments.
The complainant initially received ₹120 per task. He was then asked to deposit ₹500 for another assignment and reportedly received ₹650 after completing it. Later, he deposited ₹3,000 and received ₹4,300.
These early payments appeared to support the claim that the arrangement was genuine. However, initial payouts do not establish that an online job or investment platform is legitimate. In task-based fraud schemes, small payments can be used to encourage participants to trust the people managing the assignments.
How the Victim Was Drawn Into Online Trading
After the initial tasks, Deepak allegedly introduced the complainant to another person identified as Kabir, who claimed to be an operations manager.
Kabir reportedly encouraged the victim to invest through a platform called Coin Digital Trading, hosted at www.cgcvip3001.net. The platform was presented as an opportunity to earn larger profits through online trading.
Having received payments from earlier tasks, the complainant reportedly became more confident in the arrangement and transferred additional money. The situation changed when he attempted to withdraw his investment and the profits displayed or promised to him.
The supplied report does not independently establish whether the platform carried out genuine trading activity or how the funds were handled. Those details remain matters for investigators to examine.
Withdrawal Problems Led to Further Payment Demands
According to the complaint, Deepak and Kabir allegedly told the victim that errors during trading had caused his funds to be frozen. They reportedly demanded additional deposits, claiming the payments were necessary to reactivate the account and release the accumulated profits.
The complainant was subsequently referred to a third individual, identified as Manav, who allegedly presented himself as a withdrawal manager. Manav reportedly demanded further payments to obtain a higher withdrawal order and later claimed that the victim’s credit score was too low to permit the withdrawal.
Despite depositing more than ₹10 lakh, the complainant was reportedly unable to recover his investment or receive the promised returns.
Repeated requests for extra money to release existing funds are a major warning sign. Claims about frozen accounts, trading errors, credit scores or special withdrawal procedures should be independently verified rather than accepted at face value.
More Than 20 Victims Reportedly Lose Over ₹1 Crore
The complainant was reportedly among more than 20 people in Visakhapatnam who experienced similar fraud within a month. According to the supplied report, individual losses ranged from approximately ₹2 lakh to ₹9 lakh, while the total reported losses exceeded ₹1 crore.
The complaints describe a recurring pattern: victims were approached with paid online assignments, received small initial payments and were subsequently encouraged to transfer larger sums into investment or trading activities.
When participants tried to withdraw their money, they allegedly encountered additional payment demands. This left victims facing further potential losses while attempting to recover the amounts they had already deposited.
The precise number of affected individuals, total financial loss and amount of money recovered have not been independently established in the material provided.
Police Investigation Underway
Visakhapatnam city police have reportedly registered a case involving allegations of cheating, dishonest inducement, impersonation and identity theft.
Investigators are examining the people who contacted victims through Telegram, managed task groups and directed participants to the suspected trading platform. They are also working to identify the individuals who allegedly collected the money and trace the subsequent movement of funds.
The identities and roles of the people named in the complaint have not been independently verified. The allegations against them should not be treated as established guilt, and the investigation remains ongoing according to the supplied report.
Cases involving suspected online investment fraud may require examination of bank transfers, digital communications, account ownership and transaction trails to establish how money moved between victims and recipients. Financial investigation services are relevant to understanding how suspicious transactions and potential financial irregularities can be examined.
How to Recognise and Report Task-Based Scams
People should be cautious when online job offers promise quick money for reviews, ratings or simple assignments, especially when participants are later asked to make deposits.
Important precautions include:
Do not pay to unlock earnings: Be suspicious of requests for deposits to access more tasks, commissions or withdrawals.
Do not rely on initial payouts: Small early payments do not prove that a platform is legitimate.
Verify investment platforms independently: Check the organisation, its regulatory status where applicable, and the actual nature of its business.
Never share sensitive credentials: Keep OTPs, UPI PINs, passwords and banking details private.
Stop if withdrawal fees keep increasing: Do not send additional money merely because an unknown person claims it is required to release existing funds.
Preserve evidence: Keep chat histories, website addresses, payment receipts, transaction IDs and account details.
Report suspected cyber fraud promptly: In India, call 1930 and submit a complaint through the official National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Contact the bank immediately as well.
Prompt reporting may help authorities and banks respond, but it does not guarantee recovery of the money.
Conclusion
The Visakhapatnam case illustrates how online task offers can allegedly be used to establish trust before participants are encouraged to risk increasingly large sums. More than 20 residents reportedly lost over ₹1 crore, with the suspected scheme involving Telegram assignments, paid Google reviews and a trading platform.
The investigation will need to establish who controlled the operation, where the money went and whether any funds can be recovered. Until then, the reported losses and allegations should be understood as information drawn from complaints and the supplied report, rather than final legal findings.