ED probe begins into 'Chinese' app that cheated job-seekers

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today said it has initiated a probe against a Chinese “controlled” mobile app that allegedly duped a number of youngsters in lieu of offering part-time jobs that included “liking” and uploading celebrity videos on social media platforms.

In an official statement, the ED said that its personnel have raided at least 12 entities in Bengaluru that are linked to the app —‘Keepsharer’— and issued provisional attachment order under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to seize funds worth Rs 5.85 crore.

The agency said that in the probe, the personnel found that “gullible public, mostly youth, were cheated by some Chinese persons through a mobile app namely Keepsharer, which promised to give part-time jobs to them and collected money from them.

“When the task was completed, they used to pay Rs 20 per video which was credited in the Keepsharer wallet. For some time, the money got credited, but later, the app was removed from play store. Thus, the public was cheated of their investment and the remuneration to be paid which ran into crores of rupees,” the ED claimed in the statement.

The Chinese nationals formed companies here and recruited several Indians as directors, translators (Mandarin to English and vice-versa), HR managers and tele-callers, it said.

“They obtained the documents of Indians and opened bank accounts. The accused Chinese persons developed the app and started its advertisement through WhatsApp and Telegram. This app was linked with an investment app and for registration on the former, they collected money from the youth,” the ED alleged in the statement.

The agency said the money collected through this “scam” was routed from the bank accounts of some Bengaluru-based companies and then converted into crypto currency and transferred to China-based crypto exchanges. “All the transactions were under control of Chinese persons through phone and WhatsApp groups,” it added.

The ED’s case under provisions of the PMLA is based on an FIR (south CEN police station of Bengaluru city) and a subsequent chargesheet in which the police had said that out of 92 accused, six were Chinese and Taiwanese citizens “who were controlling the entire scam”, it is said in the statement.

12 entities raided

The ED raided 12 entities in Bengaluru that are linked to the app ‘Keepsharer’ and issued provisional attachment order under provisions of the PMLA to seize funds worth Rs 5.85 crore

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