Bengaluru techie loses Rs 38.51 lakh in online side-hustle scam

A 37-year-old IT professional in Banashankari, Bengaluru, lost Rs 38.51 lakh in an online side-hustle scam. The fraud unfolded over six months, starting after the victim received a Snapchat request from a user claiming to be from Singapore. The suspect convinced the victim to invest by showing initial profits, leading to transfers of Rs 9.51 lakh and eventually a total of Rs 38.51 lakh. The police registered an FIR under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 318 and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).