More often than not, you’ve probably received WhatsApp messages from a stranger offering you an “easy job.” All you have to do is rate a restaurant 5 stars on Google Maps, or maybe watch a YouTube video. In return, you’ll earn a small payout.
The offer looks harmless. Who wouldn’t want to make ₹200 or ₹800 for something so trivial? And when the money actually arrives in your account, your doubts fade. And you think perhaps hotels and restaurants really do hire middlemen to boost ratings, or perhaps this is just the new digital gig economy.
But that’s exactly how the trap is laid.
This post explains how the scam works, and why even if you think you ‘scammed the scammer’ by taking ₹200 or ₹800, those payouts can still land you and your bank account in trouble with the police.
From Easy Tasks to “Big Earnings”
After the first few payments, the jobs quickly escalate. You’re told that by depositing ₹5,000, you can unlock higher-paying tasks that will double your money.
In some Telegram groups, the scam is dressed up with earning charts to make it look professional. After the first task, they send a small ₹200 payment to make it feel real. Then you’re added to a larger group with a task-based earning chart, like:
The group chats are filled with fake screenshots and messages from supposed “members,” claiming they got paid. Payment proofs are forged. Pressure builds to “unlock” higher-paying tasks by depositing money first often via QR codes linked to personal accounts. Example:
- “Deposit ₹1000 to unlock ₹1,480 payout.”
The atmosphere is designed to create FOMO: If others can make ₹10,000 a day, why shouldn’t you? But once you deposit, the money is gone and for some victims, the losses run into lakhs. In one reported case, a woman in India was tricked out of ₹16 lakh through exactly this scheme.
Here are more examples of people who fell for the similar scams:
- Hyderabad man promised of ₹4.31 lakh for ₹2.80 lakh investment in task-based scheme; loses all
- Fell for a task scam lost USD 1500
The Part Nobody Tells You
Even if you never “invest” and only take the ₹800 or ₹1000 in the beginning, you are not in the clear. That money may not be genuine payment at all. It could be stolen funds, laundered through your account without your knowledge.
In the language of cybercrime, you have just become a money mule — a person who helps scammers move illegal money across accounts and countries.
And here is the danger: when the real victim files a police complaint, cybercrime investigators follow the trail of every bank account involved. Your name shows up. Your account can be frozen. You could be called in for questioning, or worse, treated as part of the fraud.
This is not hypothetical. In December 2024, ransom money from comedian Sunil Pal’s kidnapping was spent at jewellery shops in Meerut. The jewellers accepted the payment in his name, assuming it was legitimate. Later, when police traced the ransom money, the jewellers’ bank accounts were frozen and they were pulled into the investigation until they could prove their innocence.”
Why the Bait Works
The psychology of these scams is simple. By paying you a small amount, scammers convince you that the system works. They buy your trust before demanding bigger investments. Even those who “outsmart” the scammers by taking the initial money and leaving are not safe. They’ve unknowingly stepped into the laundering chain.
The Real Cost of Easy Money
The promise was small: a side gig, some pocket money, no effort required. But the cost can be devastating:
- Months without access to your own bank account.
- The stress of a police inquiry.
- The risk of being branded a scammer when you only thought you were clever.
Prevention Tips
- Don’t take part in “easy money” jobs that involve ratings, clicks, or “unlocking” high-paying tasks.
- Verify with official sources – no legitimate company pays strangers to manipulate ratings.
- Never share bank details or invest money in tasks found via random WhatsApp/Telegram messages.
The Lesson
If a WhatsApp or Telegram message offers you money for reviews, ratings, or “unlocking tasks,” stop. No legitimate business pays strangers to manipulate ratings. And no small payout is worth the risk of becoming part of a crime syndicate.
The ₹200 bait is never just pocket money. It is the hook of a much bigger net.
This post was inspired by user-shared experiences on Reddit. We have expanded it with context, real-world cases, and prevention tips.
Note: All stories on TrapWatch are based on user experiences and public reports. They are shared to raise awareness, not as verified legal or financial advice.
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