Cadila Pharma Employee Loses Rs 2.59 Lakh in Fake Flipkart Task Scam

According to police, the complainant, Priyal Devang Shah, a resident of Prayas Society near Gulbai Tekra in Ahmedabad, is employed with Cadila Pharma at Bakrol. The Gujarat University Police have registered a cyber fraud case and initiated an investigation into the incident. The fraud reportedly began on April 23, when Shah was added to a WhatsApp group without her consent. Members of the group claimed participants could earn attractive commissions by completing promotional tasks related to Flipkart products.

She was then instructed to communicate with a WhatsApp account operating under the name "Emaa Brokes", where the individual introduced themselves as a human resources representative. Subsequently, she was shifted to Telegram, where users identifying themselves as "Ishita Sharma" and "Flipkart Instructor Ramesh" guided her through a series of online tasks.

Initially, Shah was asked to open product links, capture screenshots and submit them as proof of task completion. After successfully completing a few assignments, she received ₹200 in her ICICI Bank account, making the platform appear genuine and encouraging her to continue participating. The following day, the fraudsters instructed her to deposit ₹1,000 through UPI to unlock higher-paying assignments. After transferring the amount, she received ₹1,350, including the promised commission, further reinforcing her confidence in the scheme.

Encouraged by the initial returns, Shah was persuaded to participate in a series of "premium tasks" that allegedly offered significantly higher profits. Over the following days, she transferred money through multiple UPI IDs and bank accounts as directed by the fraudsters.

Police said the accused ultimately convinced her to transfer a total of ₹2.59 lakh under the pretext of completing additional tasks and unlocking accumulated earnings. However, when Shah attempted to withdraw the money and the promised profits, the fraudsters blocked the withdrawal process and instead demanded that she deposit more funds before any payment could be released. Realising that she had been cheated, Shah approached the Gujarat University Police, who registered a cyber fraud case and launched an investigation to identify the individuals involved, trace the financial transactions and recover the defrauded amount.

Gujarat Samachar reports that the investigators believe the accused used a common online task scam model in which victims are first offered small payments to establish credibility before being persuaded to make progressively larger investments with promises of higher returns. Once substantial amounts are transferred, withdrawals are blocked and victims are pressured to deposit additional money, after which the fraudsters cease communication. Police are continuing their investigation into the case.