A young man from Kaypamangalam Beach in Thrissur has fallen victim to a scam, losing Rs 46 lakh by participating in a scheme that promised high returns for writing positive movie reviews. The scammers operated through a platform called Plex Movie.
Initially, the victim, a lottery shop owner, invested Rs 70,000 after being enticed by the promise of substantial returns. After receiving a refund of Rs 90,000, he was encouraged to invest further. On the company’s anniversary, he was directed to write reviews for what they termed “golden movies” to double his profits. Over a span of 20 days, he invested a total of Rs 46 lakh, only to be asked for an additional Rs 8 lakh to cover “insurance” and transfer costs when he tried to withdraw his funds.
Following a thorough investigation, police arrested four individuals: Abdul Ayub (25), Shinaj (25), and Aslam (21) from Kollam, along with Shameena Shafir (29) from Thiruvananthapuram. Authorities suspect these suspects act as middlemen in a broader network of fraud. The scammers had opened bank accounts in the names of young individuals and college students under the guise of online stock trading, obtaining their ATM cards in the process.
During the investigation, police seized 18 ATM cards from the suspects, who were apprehended while attempting to flee from a resort in Thiruvananthapuram.
