A series of complaints lodged at the Cyber Crime Police Station have exposed a worrying uptick in online financial frauds affecting residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Over a short period, several individuals filed First Information Reports after losing substantial sums to schemes promoted through social media and messaging platforms. The methods used by the alleged fraudsters include bogus work-from-home offers, fake investment platforms, friendship scams and phoney marketing tasks, all designed to build small initial trust before extracting much larger payments.
In one complaint, a resident said they were recruited via a Telegram group for a so-called order-grabbing job that promised daily earnings with “zero investment”. After small initial payouts that cemented trust, the person was persuaded to deposit increasing amounts into multiple bank accounts and digital wallets. The complainant alleges total transfers of over ₹15 lakh before the purported company and group administrators ceased communication and access to funds was blocked. The complaint filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is listed in police records.
Another complaint describes a case in which a resident was asked to receive and re-route transfers from a relative’s account because of an alleged banking “server issue”. Money credited into the resident’s account was then instructed to be moved across several other accounts. When one of the transferred sums triggered a lien, the recipient realised they had potentially been used as an intermediary in a larger fraudulent operation and reported the matter to investigators, providing bank statements and a timeline of transfers.
A different complainant recounted how a social media friendship led to large transfers after the alleged friend, claiming to be travelling abroad and carrying gifts or foreign currency, demanded payment for customs clearance, taxes, and foreign exchange services. Trust built through repeated messages and calls convinced the victim to authorise dozens of transactions over several days, totalling more than ₹27 lakh, before contact with the purported sender was abruptly cut off. The incident has been recorded with the cybercrime portal and is under police scrutiny.
Yet another complaint details an online “digital marketing” scheme encountered via an Instagram advertisement. The scheme reportedly involved rating hotels and sharing screenshots to earn small cashback amounts. After several genuine-looking micro-payments, the complainant was persuaded to invest larger sums to “level up” and access higher returns. The complainant later discovered that multiple bank and merchant accounts had been created in their name and that attempts to withdraw funds were blocked, with fresh demands made for supposed recovery or processing fees. The total alleged loss in this complaint exceeds ₹10 lakh.
The four complaints in this newsreport have several features in common: the fraudsters establish credibility with small, believable payouts; they leverage social proof by operating groups or using multiple contacts; and they rapidly escalate pressure to invest larger amounts or to move funds through a chain of accounts. The transactions involve a mix of bank transfers and payments through online wallets or UPI, routed to accounts across different banks.
Investigating officers confirmed that FIRs have been registered and that the cases are being examined under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code. The focus of the probe, officers said, is to trace and freeze receivable accounts, map the flow of funds, and identify the individuals behind the messaging accounts and websites named in the complaints. Some of the account details referenced in the complaints are reportedly being cross-checked with banking and payment service providers as part of the investigation.
Authorities have urged residents to exercise caution with unsolicited offers over social media and messaging platforms, and to avoid sharing personal or banking information with unknown contacts. Police reminded the public that promising easy money or high returns with little or no risk is a common hallmark of fraud. Citizens were advised to verify the credentials of any employer, platform, or individual offering investment opportunities and to use official government portals — including the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, for immediate reporting.
Community groups and administration officials are reportedly planning awareness campaigns to improve digital literacy, especially among older residents and those new to online banking and social platforms. Cyber safety experts suggest simple steps such as enabling two-factor authentication, cross-verifying claims through independent sources, and treating requests to transfer money on someone else’s behalf as a red flag.
Those who suspect they have been defrauded are encouraged to preserve transaction receipts, take screenshots of communications, and report the incident without delay to police and to the cybercrime portal; early reporting increases the chances of tracing and freezing funds. Investigators emphasized that while recovery is not always possible, prompt and detailed reporting significantly aids law enforcement efforts.
The recent string of complaints has underscored how rapidly evolving online fraud techniques can reach even geographically distant communities.
