Online 'Google Review' Scam Costs Visakhapatnam Residents ₹1 Crore

Visakhapatnam, India – Over 20 individuals in the city of Visakhapatnam have collectively lost approximately ₹1 crore (10 million Indian Rupees) within a single month due to an elaborate online job scam. The fraud, which purportedly involved tasks related to reviewing businesses on Google, exploited victims by initially offering small, legitimate payouts to establish trust. Scammers enticed participants with easy work and prompt, albeit minor, returns on initial assignments. This tactic served to build credibility and encourage victims to commit further. Once trust was established, the fraudsters escalated their demands, requiring increasingly larger deposits from participants to continue their 'work' or to access purported higher-paying tasks. Ultimately, victims found themselves unable to withdraw their accumulated earnings or initial deposits, with the scammers disappearing after securing significant sums. The economic implications for the affected individuals are substantial, representing a direct financial loss that impacts personal savings and financial stability. This incident highlights the growing challenge of digital fraud and its direct economic cost to everyday citizens, underscoring the need for greater public awareness and robust preventative measures.