Pune Contractor Loses Rs 11 Lakh After Falling for Fake ‘Pregnant Job’ Offer

A 44-year-old contractor from Pune lost Rs 11 lakh after falling for an online scam that promised him Rs 25 lakh in return for making a woman pregnant. According to an First Information Report (FIR) lodged at the Baner police station, the man saw a video advertisement on social media from a company named ‘Pregnant Job’ in early September. In the video, a woman speaking in Hindi said, “I want a man who will make me a mother. I will give him Rs 25 lakh. I don’t care about his education, caste, or looks.” Tempted by the offer, the man called the number displayed in the video. The person who answered introduced himself as an assistant from the ‘Pregnant Job’ firm. He told the man that he needed to register and get an ID card before being assigned the ‘job,’ according to The Indian Express.

How did the scam begin?

Over the next several weeks, the scammers demanded money for various ‘formalities,’ such as registration fees, ID card charges, verification, GST, TDS, and processing costs. The victim made more than 100 online payments through UPI and IMPS between early September and October 23, losing a total of Rs 11 lakh.

When did the victim realise the fraud?

After sending money repeatedly, the contractor started questioning the people behind the scheme. Soon after, they blocked his number and stopped replying. Realising he had been cheated, the man went to the Baner police station and filed a complaint. Police registered an FIR and began tracking the phone numbers and bank accounts involved in the fraud. An investigating officer told The Indian Express, “The victim was tricked using fake promises and a sense of urgency. We are tracking the digital footprints of the scammers.”

Are such scams common in India?

Cybercrime experts in Pune said that similar frauds have been spreading across India since late 2022. Scammers use social media videos where women claim to offer large amounts of money for ‘pregnancy jobs’ through fake companies like ‘Pregnant Job Service.’

What have police found so far?

In many of these scams, victims are asked to pay for fake medical tests, legal papers, or security deposits. Once the money is transferred, the fraudsters disappear. Police in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other states have already made arrests in such cases, uncovering that these scams are part of larger cybercrime networks using fake online videos to trap innocent people.