'Like reels, earn cash' scam on Telegram cons Mangaluru woman

A Rs 2.30 lakh online scam involving a fake Telegram group promising commissions for liking Instagram reels and investing money has been reported at the Kavoor police station in Mangaluru.

According to the complaint, on June 14, an unknown individual added the victim to a Telegram group named Cold Winter. The group shared a link where the victim was instructed to like reels, take screenshots, and forward them to a specific Telegram account. After complying, the victim received Rs 150 as commission into their bank account—creating an illusion of legitimacy.

Later, another member from the group asked the victim to forward a “code” to them, promising higher commissions for monetary investments. Initially, the victim transferred Rs 4,500, following which they were added to another Telegram group. Over the next couple of days, between June 14 and 16, a total of Rs 2.30 lakh was transferred from both the victim’s and her friend’s accounts under the promise of a 10% return on investment.

When no further communication or returns came through, the victim realized it was a scam and filed a complaint with Kavoor police. A case has been registered, and investigation is underway.