“Constable Sandip Vala speaking. How can I help?”
That’s probably how most people hear him – composed, dutiful, and on the other end of a distress call.
But for once, Sandip was the one looking for help. Only this time, he wasn’t calling the station. He was sitting in his living room, staring blankly at a Telegram message that read:
“Sir, to withdraw ₹28,00,000 from your account, you must complete the final verification task. Deposit ₹8 lakh to proceed.”
Eight more lakhs. After already putting in close to twenty-two.
This was the moment it hit him. He had been scammed.
The Bait: Easy Money for Simple Work
It all began innocently, as these scams usually do. Sandip received a message from a stranger on Telegram claiming to be a businessman from a reputed company.
“We’re offering part-time remote work. Just review a few products online and earn ₹300 per task. No strings attached.”
“No investment?” Sandip had asked.
“Not at all. You do tasks, you earn. It’s legit, sir.”
He wasn’t the type to fall for get-rich-quick schemes. After all, he wore a badge. He dealt with online fraud reports often.
But this one didn’t come across like a scam.
In fact, he got paid when he completed a couple of small tasks. ₹200 here. ₹300 there. The money landed in his account within minutes.
That’s when he thought, “Maybe this is the real deal. A little something extra to support the family.”
The Trap: Level Up, Invest, Earn More
Like a well-written script, the tasks started to change.
“Sir, now that you’ve built credibility, you qualify for higher-level tasks. Bigger money, bigger bonuses. But we’ll need a refundable deposit.”
The classic upgrade trap.
And Sandip, now convinced this was genuine, agreed.
A few thousand rupees at first. Then a few more. Each time, there was a promise of a huge return just around the corner.
“You’ve earned ₹6 lakh in bonuses. Just finish two more tasks.”
Each task required a deposit. And soon, those deposits snowballed into ₹5 lakh. Then ₹10 lakh. Eventually, ₹22 lakh. His entire savings, plus a few borrowings.
The Moment of Realization
One evening, Sandip was staring at the company dashboard.
The balance showed ₹28 lakh, his total ‘earnings’. A neatly designed website.
A clean user panel. Fake transaction histories. Fake customer support.
“I want to withdraw,” he typed into the live chat box.
A reply came instantly:
“Sir, to initiate withdrawal, a final security deposit of ₹8 lakh is required. It’s refundable, don’t worry.”
That was the line that finally snapped him out of the illusion. “Refundable.” Again?
He googled the company. Nothing. Looked up the Telegram username. Blank. Even the testimonials in the group he was added? Stock photos and scripted messages.
“I’m a cop. How the hell did this happen to me?”
The Irony Hits Hard
The irony wasn’t lost on anyone, least of all him.
A trained police constable, familiar with scams and frauds, had just fallen into one.
But it’s important to understand that this isn’t about intelligence or awareness anymore.
These scams are engineered to bypass logic. They’re emotional traps, and once you’re in, every step feels like the only way forward.
Vadodara Cyber Cell registered a complaint, and Sandip’s case is now under investigation. But the recovery of his hard-earned money is far from certain.
He’s Not Alone
This isn’t a one-off case. Just days before, a similar scam surfaced in Pune where a young constable lost ₹4.9 lakh to an online task fraud.
The mechanics were quite familiar—Telegram messages, small rewards at first, then the pressure to pay for “prepaid tasks” in exchange for future profits.
Same script. Different victim.
The Real Lesson Here
If a police officer, someone trained to spot red flags, can be manipulated into losing his life’s savings, it speaks volumes about how dangerously convincing these scams have become.
They prey on your trust. They use real-looking interfaces, live customer support, and even social engineering with fake groups to create a community vibe.
And once they have your attention, they make you believe you’re already in too deep to back out.
What began as a ₹300 task ended in a ₹22 lakh loss.
Final Thoughts
Sandip Vala’s story isn’t about gullibility. It’s about how anyone, literally anyone, can be vulnerable when the scam is tailored well enough.
So, if you ever receive a message offering easy tasks for quick money, remember:
That ₹300 might just be the cost of your curiosity… and possibly, the gateway to a scam waiting to unfold.
Stay alert. Stay skeptical. Even if you wear the uniform.
