If you are stuck in such a situation, here is what to do.

Ms. Priya, a resident of Nagpur, was looking for a part-time job to support her studies. She came across an advertisement for an online data entry position with a company named “Digital Entry Services.” The job required her to fill 900 forms within a week. They made her sign an online agreement which stated that a security deposit of ₹5,000 would be forfeited if she failed to complete the work on time or if there were errors in the data.

Priya worked diligently and managed to complete 898 forms. Suddenly, the web portal showed an error message and auto-submitted the final two forms as blank. When she contacted her coordinator, a Mr. Sharma, he claimed it was her fault and demanded she pay the ₹5,000 penalty to “unlock” the forms for correction. When she rightfully refused, arguing it was a system glitch, Mr. Sharma became hostile and stopped responding to her calls and messages.

A week later, Priya received a document via WhatsApp that looked like a legal notice. It demanded a payment of ₹50,000 for breach of contract, data loss, and legal fees, threatening court action if she didn’t comply. This amount was never mentioned in the agreement she had signed. Understandably, she was terrified and unsure of what to do next.

Advice in such cases

This is a very common online job scam designed to intimidate and extort money from innocent people. If you find yourself in a similar situation, here is what you should do:

• Stay Calm and Do Not Panic: These notices are usually fake and are a scare tactic. The scammers’ goal is to make you panic and pay them.
• Do Not Pay Any Money: Paying them will not solve the problem. It will only encourage them, and they might demand more money later under different pretexts.
• Verify the Notice: A genuine legal notice is sent by a registered advocate, usually through registered post, and contains their registration number and contact details. A notice sent via WhatsApp with vague threats is almost always fake.
• Preserve All Evidence: Take screenshots of everything – the job advertisement, all chats with the coordinator, the online agreement, the work portal, and the fake legal notice.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.

Applicable Sections of Law

Such scams involve several criminal offenses. Under the new Indian laws, the following sections may be applicable:

• Section 318, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS): For Cheating. The scammers dishonestly induced you to take the job with the intention of defrauding you.
• Section 320, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS): For Extortion. They are putting you in fear of legal action to dishonestly extract money.
• Section 351, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS): For Criminal Intimidation. Threatening you with injury to your reputation (by filing a fake case) is a crime.
• Information Technology Act, 2000: Relevant sections of the IT Act can be invoked as the entire scam was perpetrated using computers and the internet.

If you are the complainant

If you have been targeted by such a scam, you are the complainant. You should take the following steps to initiate action against the perpetrators:

• Gather all the evidence you have preserved.
• File a formal complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in).
• You can also file a First Information Report (FIR) at your local police station, specifically with the Cyber Crime cell if available.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.

If you are the victim

As the victim of this fraudulent scheme, your immediate actions are crucial:

• Cease all communication with the scammers immediately. Block their numbers.
• Do not delete any of the conversations or the documents they sent. They are important evidence.
• Report the incident to the authorities without delay to protect yourself and help prevent others from falling into the same trap.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.

How the police behave in such cases

The police are now well-acquainted with these types of online job frauds. When you approach them, they will likely direct you to the Cyber Crime unit. They will register an FIR based on your complaint and the evidence provided. The investigation typically involves tracing the digital footprint of the scammers, such as the IP addresses, mobile numbers, and bank accounts they used to operate the scam. While these investigations can be complex, your complaint adds to the record and can help law enforcement identify and act against these criminal networks.

FAQs people normally have

Is the legal notice I received real?

It is highly unlikely. Real legal notices are sent by advocates via registered post, contain specific details about the advocate and the law firm, and are professionally drafted. Notices sent on WhatsApp, containing grammatical errors, and demanding arbitrary amounts of money are classic signs of a fake notice used for intimidation.

Can they actually file a case against me?

No. The entire foundation of their “company” and “job” is a fraud. They have no legal standing to sue you. Filing a case would expose their own criminal activities, which is the last thing they want.

Should I ignore the notice completely?

While you should not engage with the scammers, you should not ignore the situation. The correct response is to report them to the police and consult a lawyer to be prepared, just in case, and to understand your rights.

What evidence is required?

To build a strong case against the scammers, you will need the following evidence:

• The job advertisement or link where you found the job.
• A copy of the online “agreement” you signed.
• Screenshots of all communication (WhatsApp, Telegram, email) with the company representatives.
• Screenshots of your work submission portal, if possible.
• A copy of the fake legal notice they sent you.
• The mobile numbers and any UPI/bank account details provided by the scammers.

How long will the investigation take?

Cybercrime investigations can be time-consuming because scammers often use fake identities, proxy servers, and mule bank accounts to hide their tracks. The duration can range from a few months to over a year. However, filing a complaint is the most critical step. It creates an official record, protects you from any false counter-allegations, and contributes to the larger law enforcement effort against these fraudulent operations.

Advocate Sudhir Rao, Supreme Court of India