It is often said that as long as there are greedy individuals, con artists thrive without facing any shortage of victims. This holds true for many Pakistanis as well. In their pursuit of wealth, many fall prey to fraudulent schemes, squandering their lifetime earnings and ending up destitute. While online work is gaining popularity worldwide and proving to be quite successful, in Pakistan, numerous individuals have fallen victim to scams under the guise of online businesses or investments. It’s important to remember the fundamental principle of business: investment should be tangible and within your control. Blind investments often lead to deception. Over the past few years, many Pakistanis have lost their hard-earned money in the whirlwind of online business schemes. Recently, another online company vanished after committing fraud worth billions.
There’s a saying about the journey of life: “The first year is a struggle, the second year is relief, and the third year is stability.” Though this saying might have evolved with time, its essence remains unchanged. However, many in our country lack not only the time and skill but also fall victim to the singular lure of becoming rich overnight. Fraudulent online companies capitalize on this temptation, promising riches within days, but ultimately leaving individuals in financial ruin. Surprisingly, despite hearing about such incidents daily, our people often fail to remain vigilant against these scammers. Such frauds are nothing new in Pakistan. Years ago, a character named “Double Shah” became infamous for promising overnight wealth. Initially, he delivered on his promise, doubling people’s money overnight.
However, as people’s greed grew, so did the number of investors, until one day, all investments disappeared, leaving everyone penniless. Double Shah was punished, but many of his victims still lead lives of bankruptcy across the country. Sadly, our people seem not to have learned any lessons from this incident. Today, there are mobile applications enticing people with promises of easy loans ranging from thousands to millions. When asked, it’s revealed that these applications easily provide loans based on minimal documentation. However, when it’s time to repay, individuals find themselves trapped in various offers, fulfilling unreasonable demands until they’re left with nothing. Let’s accept that people may succumb to temptation due to greed.
But what is our government doing when such fraudulent activities are on the rise? Private banks, state banks, and even businesses require numerous permits and extensive paperwork to operate legally. Then how do these online businesses manage to operate without authorization, trapping people and easily escaping when caught? Considering all these events, the government should establish a regulated mechanism for online businesses in Pakistan to prevent unauthorized entities from defrauding people. It’s crucial for everyone to stay vigilant. Success is not something handed to you on a silver platter. It requires hard work and skill. Therefore, let’s protect ourselves and our future generations from falling into the hands of such fraudsters.
