A 37-year-old IT professional in Bengaluru allegedly lost ₹38.51 lakh after falling victim to an online side-hustle scheme that promised profits from e-commerce transactions and later used threats of legal action to extract more money from him.
The case came to light after the victim, identified as Ramesh L (name changed), a resident of Channasandra in Banashankari 6th Stage, approached the police. The alleged fraud continued for nearly six months, according to the complaint.
Police said the ordeal began on March 27, when Ramesh received a friend request on Snapchat from a person using the name Chloe Mishra. Following their interaction, the individual shared a WhatsApp number with the United Kingdom country code (+44). Investigators suspect that the calls were made using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
The person allegedly claimed to be the chief executive officer of Lion City Wines in Singapore and said she earned additional income through a side business associated with REWE, a legitimate e-commerce company. Ramesh was subsequently sent a registration link to join the purported venture.
Initially, he purchased electronic products worth ₹50,000 and resold them. A website dashboard displayed a 10% profit, encouraging him to continue investing. He later transferred another ₹9.51 lakh through similar transactions but reportedly received no actual profits.
When he sought a refund, the suspect allegedly accused him of money laundering and threatened legal consequences unless he paid penalties. Under pressure, Ramesh transferred a total of ₹38.51 lakh, including his initial investment.
The suspect allegedly stopped responding after the final payment on September 1. Ramesh approached the police about a month later.
An FIR has been registered under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 318 and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to cheating and cheating by personation. The investigation is ongoing.
