A 27-year-old man from Gurgaon, who once sold vegetables but had to close his business during the pandemic, was arrested for allegedly defrauding numerous individuals with work-from-home offers, accumulating a staggering Rs 21 crore. Rishabh Sharma, a resident of Sector 9, was implicated in 37 cases of fraud across 10 states and reportedly played a role in 855 other cases.

Arrest and Money Trail

The police apprehended Rishabh Sharma on October 28, thanks to a collaborative effort involving Uttarakhand authorities who traced the bank accounts used by Sharma to transfer money to his victims. Authorities are also investigating allegations that Rishabh collaborated with foreign-based cartels and funnelled money to countries like China, Singapore, and Hong Kong via hawala and cryptocurrency. Most of the Rs 21 crore he amassed was believed to be the result of commissions earned through these international syndicates.

From Vegetable Seller to Scammer

Only six months ago, Rishabh Sharma was selling vegetables and fruits in Faridabad. However, due to significant losses during the pandemic, he was forced to close his business. To support his family, he turned to various work-from-home opportunities. It was during this period that he reconnected with an old friend already involved in online scams. In just half a year, Rishabh managed to accumulate a staggering Rs 21 crore through fraudulent activities.

Modus Operandi

Rishabh Sharma’s fraudulent activities revolved around luring unsuspecting victims with work-from-home opportunities. He initiated this by creating a fake website, “marriottwork.com,” resembling the legitimate Marriott Bonvoy website. On August 4, he sent a WhatsApp message offering a work-from-home opportunity to a businessman. The message claimed to provide part-time employment to write reviews for the “Marriott Bonvoy” group of hotels.

Once the victim expressed interest, Rishabh Sharma, posing as a representative of Marriott Bonvoy, introduced the victim to his colleague, Sonia, who claimed to be associated with one of the hotels in the group. Sonia guided the victim through a process that involved writing positive reviews on the fraudulent website, posing as guests, and responding to queries. The victim received an initial payment of Rs 10,000, which strengthened their trust.

Subsequently, Sonia proposed an investment plan to the victim, convincing him to contribute funds for website development in exchange for a share of the profits. Over the course of a month, the victim invested around Rs 20 lakh. However, as the promises of substantial returns continued, Rishabh and Sonia ceased responding to the victim’s calls and messages, eventually disconnecting their contact numbers.

Police Investigation and Cross-Checking

An FIR was filed against Rishabh Sharma for cheating, criminal conspiracy, and violations of the IT Act at the cybercrime police station in Dehradun on October 4. The police connected the dots by cross-referencing his details with the home ministry’s database, known as 14C, which records essential information when cybercrimes are reported. This effort revealed that Rishabh Sharma was involved in fraudulent activities across at least ten states, including Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi-NCR, Telangana, Maharashtra, UP, Delhi, Karnataka, and Bihar.

Rishabh Sharma’s arrest sheds light on the extensive network of work-from-home scams and their links to international criminal organizations operating from countries like China, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Singapore. These organizations often employ Indian “agents” to facilitate financial transactions. Investigations into Rishabh’s case aim to uncover more about the inner workings of these criminal syndicates.

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