Youth from Rohru Duped of ₹11 Lakh in Online Task Scam

Shimla, May 8 – A young man from Rohru in Shimla district has fallen victim to a sophisticated online scam, losing nearly ₹11 lakh after being lured with promises of daily income through online tasks. Initially drawn in by small, paid tasks, the victim was eventually tricked into transferring large sums of money under the guise of completing “economy tasks.”

According to the complaint lodged by Brajmohan Sharma, he was contacted by an unknown number on WhatsApp offering him the chance to earn ₹3,000–₹4,000 per day by completing simple online assignments. After he expressed interest, he was added to a Telegram group called “Task Group,” where he was assigned around 25 rating-related tasks daily, earning between ₹50 and ₹200 per task.

Trust Built, Then Betrayed

As payments continued regularly, Sharma’s trust grew. Then came the catch—he was told that unless he completed a so-called “economy task,” his commissions would be withheld. Under pressure, he completed the first task by paying ₹2,000, for which he was sent ₹2,800 in return. The successful return deepened his trust in the platform.

The Big Con on April 22

On April 22, Sharma was given a new, multi-phase economy task, each step requiring a separate online payment. Over time, he ended up transferring a total of ₹10.95 lakh. But this time, he received no return—and all attempts to reach the group or the individual numbers failed. The Telegram group and WhatsApp contact had both vanished.

Realizing he had been duped, Sharma filed a formal complaint at the Rohru Police Station.

Police Investigation Underway

Police have registered a case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against unknown individuals. An officer confirmed that the matter is under serious investigation, and help from cybercrime experts may be sought.

Police Advisory to the Public

Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant against such online schemes. People are advised not to click on unknown links, avoid joining suspicious groups, and never make financial transactions without proper verification. Any suspicious activity should be immediately reported to the nearest police station or cybercrime helpline.