In a stark reminder of the perils of online fraud, two men from Ghaziabad have been collectively cheated of more than Rs 43 lakh by sophisticated cyber criminals operating under the guise of lucrative investment schemes. The Cyber Crime police station has registered separate cases and launched investigations into these elaborate cons.
Senior Citizen Loses Rs 36.2 Lakh After Facebook Approach
The first victim, identified as 61-year-old Sanar Pal from Loni, was defrauded of a staggering Rs 36.2 lakh. According to his police complaint, the ordeal began on September 23 when he was contacted on Facebook by a person named Susmita Desai. The individual explained a tempting investment scheme and convinced Pal to join a dedicated WhatsApp group to learn more, assuring him of high returns.
"I received an IEX link and I started investing on their website," Pal stated. Over the course of a single month, the senior citizen transferred the massive sum in nine separate transactions to various bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. The scheme unraveled when Pal requested to withdraw his principal amount and the promised profits. The scammers first demanded additional charges and taxes, and then abruptly ceased all communication, blocking him from the WhatsApp group and ignoring his calls, forcing him to approach the police.
Indirapuram Man Duped of Nearly Rs 7 Lakh in Fake Mutual Fund Scheme
In a parallel but distinct incident, Prashant Sharma (50), a resident of ATS Advantage in Ahinsa Khand-1, Indirapuram, was cheated of Rs 6,93,400. Sharma informed the police that in February of this year, he was added to a WhatsApp group named 'learning and exchange 611' by an unknown user. The group, which had around 90 members, was allegedly run by fraudsters posing as investment advisors from the reputable Canara Robeco Mutual Fund.
"The scammers even claimed to be associated with professor Rajnish Narula, CEO of Canara Robeco, and promoted OTC trading via a platform and app, promising high returns and confidentiality," the FIR details. Sharma was not initially active but in July, the group administrators began pressuring him to invest. Finding the proposition promising, he complied, shared his KYC and bank details, and transferred the money to different accounts.
The trap snapped shut when the fraudsters started coercing him to pay more money as taxes and service fees to unlock his supposed profit, which they claimed had ballooned to Rs 11 lakh. They threatened to freeze his account if he did not pay. "I requested them to deduct those charges from my profit, but they refused. I got suspicious," Sharma said. Upon contacting other group members, some confirmed the group was fake while others did not respond. He subsequently filed an online complaint on the national cyber crime portal on October 27.
Police Action and Ongoing Investigation
Piyush Kumar Singh, ADCP (Cyber & Crime), confirmed that First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered in both cases at the Cyber Crime police station. The complaints have been filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections 319(2) for cheating by personation and 318(4) for cheating, along with applicable sections of the Information Technology Act.
"We have approached all the concerned banks to get details of the accounts to which the victims transferred the money," ADCP Singh stated, adding that a further investigation is currently underway to track down the perpetrators behind these well-organized online scams.
These incidents highlight a growing trend of investment frauds originating on social media platforms, where scammers use the names of legitimate financial institutions to build false trust. Authorities urge citizens to exercise extreme caution, verify the credentials of any unsolicited investment advisors through official channels, and avoid transferring funds to unknown accounts.
