Earn from home by liking videos? The part-time task scam

What happened

A message from an unknown number offers part-time work: like videos, rate hotels, boost products. The first few small tasks genuinely pay ₹100 to ₹500, which builds trust. Then you are added to a group full of "successful members" and asked to deposit money to unlock "premium tasks" with bigger returns. Every deposit is lost, and withdrawals always need one more "fee".

Red flags

• High pay for trivial work, offered by a stranger.
• Tasks that need you to pay in to continue.
• Group chats full of screenshots of profits and "mentors" who push you to pay quickly.
• A "tax", "unlock" or "verification" fee before withdrawal.

A genuine employer never asks you to pay to start working.

What to do now

1. Stop paying. Money already sent is a sunk cost, and the next payment is also lost.
2. Keep screenshots, numbers, UPI IDs and bank details.
3. Call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in at the earliest.
4. Warn friends and college groups; this scam spreads through them.