Wakad man loses ₹21 lakh on an Instagram employment hoax. Promised a work permit from Canada, he left broken and betrayed. Police looking for the unidentified cyber con artist.
Pune: Under the guise of a job possibility in Canada, a 36-year-old man allegedly fell victim to a startling case of digital fraud in Wakad, allegedly costing over ₹21 lakh.
Between December 31, 2023, and August 31, 2024, Anirudh Anil Tharwal, the complainant, fell victim to a fraud whereby an anonymous person won his confidence on Instagram. Promising a great abroad employment, the con artist gradually took a grand ₹21,22,609 from Anirudh over several transactions. Anirudh knew he had been duped, though, when no work turned up and the accused vanished.
Now he has complained at Wakad Police Station, and authorities have started looking at the matter.
One message too persuasive and one press on a screen might shatter someone’s dream. For Anirudh, it went beyond just financial loss. It was hope of a new life, time, and trust. These kinds of scams rob people of their dignity rather than only pilfers money. Many simple targets are created by the need for greater possibilities. Furthermore, it indicates how real the virtual trap has become when sites like Instagram start to attract fraudsters.
Every “visa job offer” fraud is driven by someone yearning stability overseas, of supporting their family, of beginning anew. They are instead greeted with treachery. Such events serve as a reminder to be especially wary, particularly in cases when prospects seem too perfect to be real. More importantly, though, they draw attention to the need of more robust digital vigilance, real-time fraud tracking, and public awareness so that none else has to incur the cost of unfulfilling promises.