Cyber fraud cases rise in Sikkim’s Pakyong, victims lose over Rs 1.3 lakh

Two separate cases of cyber fraud have been reported from Pakyong district in Sikkim, highlighting the growing threat of online scams targeting unsuspecting citizens. The incidents, registered under the jurisdiction of the CID Police Station, resulted in a cumulative financial loss of more than Rs 1.3 lakh.

According to police sources, the first case was reported on February 8, in which a victim fell prey to a fraudulent “work-from-home” job offer circulated through a social media platform. After clicking on a job link, the victim was asked to pay a nominal registration fee and was initially credited with a small profit upon completing an introductory task—an apparent tactic to gain trust.

Encouraged by the initial return, the victim was then asked to deposit a larger amount to undertake a second task. Soon after transferring the money, the victim received calls from the fraudsters claiming the transaction had failed and demanding another payment. However, upon checking the transaction history through a digital wallet application, the victim discovered that the payment had already been successfully processed, exposing the scam. The total loss in this case amounted to ₹6,956.

In the second incident, a victim received a message through a mobile messaging application from an individual claiming to facilitate the arrangement of labourers. The fraudster sought multiple payments citing expenses such as transportation, food costs, and even alleged detention of labourers by railway authorities. To lend credibility, misleading photographs were shared with the victim.

After making several transactions amounting to Rs 1,24,220, the victim verified the claims with railway officials and found that no such detention had taken place, confirming the fraudulent nature of the transaction.

Police have initiated investigations in both cases and have urged the public to remain vigilant against unsolicited job offers and service-related requests on social media and messaging platforms.