Hyderabad: A retired resident of Nallakunta has fallen prey to an elaborate online investment scam, losing nearly Rs 29.5 lakh after being misled into believing he was earning huge profits through a fake trading platform.
The ordeal began when the man, browsing his phone at home, was unexpectedly added to a WhatsApp group run by people claiming to be stock market professionals. One of them, a woman who introduced herself as Divya Mehra, struck up friendly conversations and slowly earned his confidence.
She promised him access to an “exclusive” investment platform that could allegedly multiply money through stock trading and premium IPO deals. Trusting her words, he downloaded an app that appeared convincing, complete with dashboards, charts and fake transaction records that showed his funds growing rapidly.
Over several weeks, he was persuaded to move significant sums — not just from his own accounts but also from his wife’s — thinking the app was generating large profits. Each payment was followed by more glittering figures on his screen, reinforcing the illusion of success.
When he hesitated, access to the app was suddenly blocked, despite it showing a fictitious balance of Rs 64 lakh, and the scammers insisted he pay a Rs 5 lakh “penalty” to withdraw his supposed earnings.
Authorities have warned citizens to be cautious of unsolicited investment offers and to verify the authenticity of trading platforms before sharing personal or financial information.
