Maharashtra: Nagpur professor loses over Rs 37 lakh in 'task fraud'

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A professor at an engineering college in Nagpur, Maharashtra, has allegedly fallen victim to a cyber fraud scam known as "task fraud," losing a total of Rs 37.48 lakh, according to the police.

The Mankapur police has registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology (IT) Act based on the complaint filed by the professor, PTI reported.

The fraud occurred between May 8 and June 22. The professor received a message on WhatsApp from an unknown number, where the sender pretended to be an employee of a human research firm, as per the police official. The fraudster assigned the professor tasks of liking YouTube videos for rewards, and the professor accepted the offer and received some money.

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Subsequently, the fraudster lured the professor into investing in cryptocurrency. Over time, the professor transferred Rs 37.48 lakh to different bank accounts as instructed by the fraudster. However, after repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact the fraudster, the professor realized she had been deceived.

The police are investigating the case and taking necessary actions to track down the cyber fraudsters involved in the scam. (With inputs from PTI)