SHILLONG, June 29: A woman from Shillong, Canara Lyngdoh, has alleged that she was duped by a US-based online company, Look Culture Media Limited (LCML), which she joined as an employee on October 31, 2024.
According to Lyngdoh, she has been receiving threatening calls from people demanding their money back after the company suddenly stopped operations at midnight on June 25. Some have even threatened to take her life.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said she was approached by a company representative named Annabella at a time when she was unemployed after losing her shop. Desperate for a job, she accepted an offer to work as a Group Assistant.
As part of her onboarding, she was required to deposit Rs 2,250, with a promise that the full amount would be refunded within a month along with a daily income of Rs 75, translating to a monthly salary of Rs 6,600.
Excited by the opportunity, Lyngdoh began working up to 13-14 hours a day.
Though initially sceptical, she said she did her own research and found no evidence online to suggest the company was a scam. She mentioned that she would often show people certificates downloaded from the company’s website to build trust.
She also claimed that LCML was involved in charitable activities and job fairs in Guwahati and Siliguri, where she even assisted in organising events, while adding that this further convinced her of the company’s legitimacy.
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh revealed that the company later introduced a second plan where people would receive Rs 660 per day after depositing Rs 6,600, to be refunded within a month. She added that the third plan offered by the company required a deposit of Rs 20,300, with a promise of a daily income of Rs 700 after a month.
She revealed that the company recently released a fourth plan requiring a deposit of Rs 1 lakh, with a promise of a return of Rs 11 lakh by August.
“Many people, including those working under me, have deposited Rs 1 lakh. I myself invested, hoping to secure a better future for my children,” said Lyngdoh, who is a widow.
She added that after June 25, the company’s app became non-functional and she was unable to contact Annabella. According to her, there is another senior representative named Robert Garry, who is based in America.
“No one is allowed to contact him (Garry) directly, as per the company’s rules. We are completely in the dark,” she said.
When asked how many people may have been affected, Lyngdoh said she did not know the exact number.
However, she confirmed that she has filed an FIR with the police.
She also urged all those affected to unite and support legal action against the company.
“I appeal to everyone not to come to my house, as I have an ailing mother at home,” Lyngdoh said, adding that she has received multiple threats from people demanding their money and threatening her life.