Overnight Billionaire Dreams: How Greed, Ads, and Ignorance Are Turning People into Online Fraud Victims
In today’s digital world, online fraud is no longer just a crime — it is a mirror reflecting human greed, impatience, and misplaced trust. People are becoming victims not only because fraudsters are clever, but because everyone wants to become rich overnight.
The idea of “easy money, quick returns, and instant success” is aggressively sugar-coated through advertisements, fake investment schemes, lucky draws, scratch cards, and online offers. These promises lure ordinary people into extraordinary losses.
The Illusion of Overnight Riches
From flashy ads saying “Earn ₹1 lakh per day” to scratch cards promising “You’ve won a bumper prize”, people are constantly tempted. They buy small things, scratch cards, click unknown links — hoping luck will change their life overnight.
What they forget is this:
Real wealth is slow. Fraud is fast.
Fraudsters exploit emotions — greed, urgency, fear of missing out — and that’s where people fall.
When the ‘Third Eye’ Is Watching
In shops, malls, ATMs, and public places, CCTV cameras (the third eye) capture everything. Even when fraud happens physically — like someone peeping while a PIN is entered — it gets exposed later.
Banks know this.
That’s why:
Even bank officials are legally restricted from asking or knowing your PIN
Your OTP, PIN, CVV are meant only for you
Any request for these details is a red flag
Still, people share them willingly — thinking it’s a shortcut to money.
COVID: The Turning Point for Online Fraud
The COVID period was a golden opportunity for fraudsters:
* People moved to online banking,
* First-time digital users entered the system,
* Fear, job loss, and financial stress increased
That’s when fraudsters started their game seriously — fake loans, fake job offers, fake relief funds, fake investment apps.
Even today, long after COVID, the game continues — stronger, smarter, and faster.
Not Just India — A Global Problem
Online fraud is not limited to India.
It is happening across the world:
* Investment scams,
* Phishing emails,
* Fake crypto schemes,
* Identity theft,
* Romance scams
Technology has no borders — neither does cybercrime.
Government & Banks: Doing Their Part
Governments and banks are not silent:
* Strong PIN security systems,
* OTP-based authentication,
* Awareness campaigns,
* Cybercrime helplines,
* Public warnings: “Banks will never ask for your PIN or OTP”
Yet fraud continues — not because systems are weak, but because **human behavior is predictable**.
The Real Problem: Human Mindset
Despite all warnings, many people still believe:
“This one time I’ll get lucky”
“Everyone is earning, why not me?”
“What if this is real?”
This mindset turns people into victims.
👉 Fraud thrives where patience is absent.
👉 Greed creates shortcuts. Shortcuts create losses.
Conclusion: When Low Returns from Nationalised Banks Push People Towards High Risks
One of the silent reasons people fall into online fraud traps is the low interest rates offered by banks. Traditional savings and fixed deposits no longer provide returns that match rising living costs. When people see their hard-earned money grow slowly, frustration builds.
This gap is exactly what fraudsters exploit.
As per TOI report:-
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/coimbatore-residents-lost-rs-87-16-crore-to-cyber-fraudsters-in-2025-police/articleshow/126355653.cms
“Chasing higher returns is fine, chasing shortcuts is how fraud wins.”
