Bhopal Cyber Crime Branch has issued a comprehensive public advisory warning citizens against the rapid proliferation of ‘Watch and Earn’ cyber scams. Fraudulent syndicates are increasingly targeting residents across popular social media networks, promising lucrative, hassle-free work-from-home opportunities in exchange for executing simple digital tasks. Investigating officers revealed that scammers typically initiate contact with unsuspecting victims through instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. To establish immediate credibility and dismantle the victim’s skepticism, operators transfer nominal payouts ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 200, and occasionally up to Rs 10,000, into the victim’s bank account for completing basic assignments like liking videos, subscribing to channels, or rating applications.

 

Extortion Traps Triggered by High-Value Tasks: Once the victim is fully convinced of the platform’s legitimacy, the fraud syndicates escalate their demands by requiring purchase of ‘premium’ tiers or payment of mandatory registration fees to access high-paying tasks. These coercive investment demands quickly scale from Rs 5,000 to several lakh rupees, after which the operators freeze the virtual trading accounts, terminate all communication channels and disappear with the deposited funds. Official Safety Directives and Helpline Numbers Released: Cyber Crime Branch has strongly urged public to exercise extreme caution when encountering unsolicited job offers and to never deposit advance payments for online employment. Authorities emphasised that sensitive personal data, one-time passwords and banking credentials must never be shared with unverified entities. Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious activity immediately to the national helpline at 1930.