Sikkim woman loses Rs 6 lakh in Facebook job scam, police track digital trail

A woman in the Mangan district of Sikkim lost Rs 6 lakh to an online job scam after responding to a fake work-from-home offer advertised on Facebook. The incident, which took place between April 8 and April 15, is now under police investigation.

The 35-year-old victim contacted individuals listed in the ad, who claimed she could earn high returns by completing simple online tasks. Believing the offer to be legitimate, she followed their instructions and transferred money in multiple transactions to bank accounts provided by the scammers.

According to police, the woman was promised increasing payouts in exchange for repeated payments, but once she had sent Rs 6 lakh, the fraudsters stopped communicating altogether.

She filed a complaint at Sadar Police Station, prompting authorities to register a case under Sections 318(3), 319(2), and 111(2)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Investigators are now working to trace the bank accounts and digital footprints used in the fraud. Police say efforts are underway to identify the culprits and prevent further such scams targeting job seekers.