Cyber Fraud in Surat: Man Duped of ₹5.98 Lakhs Under the Guise of Work From Home

Surat, August 28: The Cyber Crime Cell in Surat, Gujarat, has apprehended a 23-year-old man for allegedly defrauding a victim of ₹5.98 lakhs. The scam was disguised as a part-time ‘work from home’ opportunity linked to star ratings. The accused reportedly siphoned off ₹1 lakh from the victim’s account.

According to officials, the victim was contacted via Telegram and offered a part-time job with promises of attractive pay for completing star rating tasks. The accused sent a link to a fake website and registered the victim on it.

Initially, the victim received payments for completing tasks. However, the accused later claimed that additional fees were required to unlock further work and earn more money. Believing these claims, the victim transferred a total of ₹5,98,800 to various bank accounts. Allegations state that this money was never returned.

Following this, the victim reached out to the cybercrime helpline 1930, prompting the Surat Cyber Crime Cell to initiate an investigation. A case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 2023, and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2008.

During the investigation, police arrested Ravi Baraiya, a diamond trader residing in the Gayatri Society of Kapodara, Surat. He is originally from Gariyadhar in Bhavnagar district. Police reported that ₹1 lakh from the victim was transferred to Baraiya’s IDFC First Bank account.

Investigators further alleged that Baraiya had shared his bank account details with co-accused Gautam Baraiya for use in the cyber fraud. According to the Cyber Crime Cell, transactions totaling ₹7,11,475 related to cyber fraud occurred through the bank account.

Upon checking the account on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP), five complaints from various states were also discovered. This operation was conducted under the supervision of senior officials. Police Inspector V.D. Mandora formed a team that carried out a technical investigation to identify those involved in the fraud.