Marathi Actor Sagar Karande Duped of ₹61.83 Lakh in Instagram 'Likes-for-Money' Scam
Popular Marathi actor and comedian Sagar Karande has fallen prey to a major cyber fraud, losing a staggering ₹61.83 lakh in a sophisticated scam centered around liking posts on Instagram.
The scam began in February, when Karande received a message on WhatsApp from a woman offering ₹150 per Instagram like. Initially wary, he was later added to Telegram groups where he received regular links and small tasks to complete. To build trust, the fraudsters sent him ₹11,000 after the first few tasks—convincing him the offer was legitimate.
As Karande grew more comfortable, the scammers lured him deeper into the trap. They presented him with fake screenshots of wallet balances, telling him he had already completed 80% of the required tasks. To unlock the full payout, he was told he had to finish the remaining 20%, which involved further financial “investment.”
Over the next few weeks, Karande was manipulated into transferring lakhs of rupees, including a hefty ₹19 lakh deposit and an additional 30% tax to supposedly release the funds. Altogether, his losses added up to ₹61.83 lakh.
However, when he finally asked to withdraw the money, the fraudsters claimed that the tax had been deposited into the wrong account, asking him to send even more. That’s when reality hit—and Karande realized he had been scammed.
He immediately approached the Cyber Police and filed an official complaint.
Cybercrime officials are now using this case to warn the public: Beware of online offers that sound too good to be true. Citizens are urged to avoid clicking on unfamiliar links, never share personal banking details, and always verify the authenticity of online offers. Victims of cyber fraud should report incidents by calling the Cyber Helpline at 1930.
