In a significant move against rising online financial frauds, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested three men — including the mastermind, Shivansh Mishra — in Bhopal for orchestrating a sophisticated task-based cyber scam.
The operation, conducted in coordination with Amethi Police, took place in Danish Nagar, under the jurisdiction of Bagh Sewaniya Police Station. The accused were operating a scam that lured victims via social media platforms, promising high returns for completing fake digital “tasks.”
According to Additional SP Vishal Vikram Singh of the STF, victims were added to private Telegram groups through fraudulent links. They were asked to complete simple online tasks in return for money. Initially, the victims saw fake earnings credited into digital wallets, which encouraged further investments. As the scheme progressed, many found themselves losing large sums in an endless cycle of deposits.
The primary accused, Shivansh Mishra (22), is a resident of Ganeshganj, Suhagpur in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, and the alleged mastermind behind the scam. Two others were also arrested in connection with the racket.
Authorities suspect the operation had a wide reach and warn users to be cautious of too-good-to-be-true investment offers online. Further investigations are ongoing to trace the digital money trail and identify other possible members of the syndicate.