Cybercriminals are increasingly capitalizing on people’s desires and greed, exploiting innocent families with new fraud tactics. One such scam has recently gained traction, targeting parents who are lured into believing their children have a shot at modeling careers through ads on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Fraudsters are using these platforms to deceive people, especially parents, into paying money for non-existent opportunities.
These ads, typically designed to look like legitimate offers from well-known e-commerce websites such as Flipkart, Amazon, and FirstCry, claim that children are being selected for modeling photo shoots. The scammers promise not only photo shoots but also modeling training, encouraging parents to pay a fee to enroll their children. Once the money is sent, the scammers disappear, and the promised opportunities never materialize.
A recent incident in Delhi exposed the extent of this scam. A 34-year-old woman from Dwarka, Delhi, saw an ad on Facebook for an organization called Lot’s Star Kids, which advertised modeling opportunities and training for children. Believing this to be a legitimate offer, the woman clicked on the ad and was directed to a Telegram group, where she was asked to pay a registration fee. After sending the money, the promise of a modeling opportunity never came to fruition, and the woman realized she had been scammed.
Upon further investigation, the police found that the scam was much larger in scale. Over Rs. 4.7 crores had been collected from 197 parents who had been deceived by the false promises of modeling gigs. These parents, hoping for a better future for their children, were left devastated and helpless after paying the fees, only to find that their money was stolen without any trace of the promised opportunities.
The authorities are now working to uncover the full extent of the scam and are urging parents to remain cautious when confronted with ads that seem too good to be true. It is important to verify the legitimacy of any online offers, especially when they require upfront payments, and to be wary of organizations that seem to only exist on social media or untrustworthy platforms like Telegram.
Takeaway:
As the number of online scams continues to rise, parents are urged to be vigilant and skeptical of unsolicited ads that promise modeling or other lucrative opportunities for their children. Always conduct thorough research and seek recommendations before parting with money, particularly when the offer involves paying an upfront fee.
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