Poonam Nath

Facebook job scam cost Sikkim woman Rs 6 lakh, police track digital trail

Digital Desk: A woman in Sikkim's Mangan district lost Rs 6 lakh in an online employment scam after responding to a phony work-from-home offer promoted on Facebook. The event, which occurred between April 8 and April 15, is now under police investigation.

The 35-year-old victim contacted the folks indicated in the post, who said she could earn a lot of money by doing easy online activities. She believed the offer was legitimate and followed their directions, transferring money in repeated transactions to bank accounts provided by the fraudsters.

According to authorities, the woman had been offered higher compensation in exchange for repeated payments, but after sending Rs 6 lakh, the fraudsters ceased communicating completely.

She filed a complaint at Sadar Police Station, calling on the police to open a case under Sections 318(3), 319(2), and 111(2)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Police are now seeking to track down the bank accounts and digital footprints utilized in the crime. Officials said they're working to identify the perpetrators and prevent similar scams targeting job seekers in the future.