Pune: A resident of Wagholi fell victim to a cyber fraud scheme involving online work-from-home tasks, losing ₹27.46 lakh to fraudsters. The incident came to light after the victim lodged a complaint with the Wagholi police station.

The victim, residing in the Kesnand area, was approached by cybercriminals on November 4 via his mobile number. Promising a lucrative opportunity to work from home and earn good returns, the fraudsters initially provided the man with simple online tasks and paid him a small amount as a return to gain his trust.

Encouraged by the initial payout, the fraudsters contacted him again, suggesting that investing money in online tasks would yield even better returns. Over a period, the victim transferred ₹27.46 lakh to the fraudsters' bank accounts.

However, after the money was transferred, no returns were received, and repeated attempts to contact the fraudsters failed as their mobile numbers were disconnected.

Realizing the scam, the victim reported the incident to the police. A case has been filed under the Information Technology Act, and Senior Police Inspector Pandit Rejitwad is leading the investigation.

Authorities have noted an increasing trend in cyber fraud cases where victims are lured through promises of online work and high returns. Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid trusting such schemes without proper verification.