The Cyberpolice in Kashmir has registered a case against the individuals associated with “Curative Survey Agency.”
Allegations suggest that the agency engaged in fraudulent activities by falsely pledging to double investments within 15 days, resulting in the disappearance of directors along with approximately ₹59 crore, Police said.
The investigative authorities are also actively pursuing leads to identify those involved in the establishment, promotion, and operation of the agency, with the goal of bringing the perpetrators to justice and recovering the misappropriated funds.
As part of the ongoing investigation, suspicions of collusion with influential figures and scrutiny of social media influencers in J&K have surfaced. Reports indicate that the bank accounts of the fraudulent company, situated at HDFC Marble Market Jammu, ICICI Chhani Himmat Jammu, and Yes Bank Gandhi Nagar Jammu, have been frozen.
The FIR has been lodged via the number 39/2023, invoking sections 66D of the IT Act and 429 of the IPC. As per multiple reports, several youtubers who promoted the agency have been summoned and their gadgets confiscated during the investigation.
Earlier, a youtuber claimed that he had promoted the content of the agency after thoroughly checking their registration documents, however, The Kashmiriyat, cross checked the claim to find that the accused youtuber promoted the ad in June, while the company was registered a month later in July 2023.
In a startling development, numerous subscribers, including students, pensioners, and housewives in the Kashmir Valley, find themselves embroiled in an alleged scam orchestrated by the Chennai-based “Curative Survey” company.
Victims, including individuals like Shahid Wani from Sopore, expressed dismay, recounting how they invested their hard-earned money with the expectation of promised returns. Shahid and others opened multiple accounts, engaged in surveys, only to have payments abruptly halted without any explanation.
The company, which maintained offices across various districts in the valley, vanished just before the scheduled payouts, leaving an estimated ₹59 crores unaccounted for.
Not limited to individual subscribers, even employees, including female staff, have fallen victim to the company. The whereabouts of these employees, now untraceable in Jammu Kashmir, are unknown.
An employee shared details of the scam’s modus operandi with The Kashmiriyat, revealing that outbound calls were made to people, promising them monthly payments of ₹3000 for fifteen months. The basic plan required subscribers to deposit ₹5000 initially and complete surveys, after which they were supposed to receive ₹3000 per month. However, this seemingly enticing offer was merely a ploy to encourage subscribers to deposit more money, leading to heightened profits.
The employee disclosed, “Through us, they called the customers frequently to increase their investment, which would supposedly lead to higher profits. Hundreds of people throughout Kashmir deposited money, and then one day, the management of the office shut down their main office in Srinagar, disappearing without a trace,” as reported by The Kashmiriyat.
Additionally, several “youtubers” and “Instagram influencers” who promoted the brand in Kashmir and Jammu are also under scrutiny in connection with the scam.