Cyber fraudsters are increasingly using sophisticated fake investment schemes to target residents, with a Chartered Accountant and a businessman recently losing a combined total of over Rs 40 lakh in separate incidents. The cases highlight the effectiveness of the scams, which lure victims with promises of high returns before demanding fake commissions and taxes to release the non-existent profits.
Police have registered cases and launched investigations into both matters.
Case 1: CA Scammed of Rs 29 Lakh Despite Knowing Tax Rules
Anup Kumar, a Chartered Accountant and resident of Vaishali, reported being defrauded of Rs 29,12,000. He stated that on August 17, a woman named Nidhi Agarwal added him to a WhatsApp group called 'HDFC Securities Limited Company'.
He was persuaded to invest in share trading through a platform named 'BBB-One HDFC Securities', with assurances that the bank accounts for the transfers were official and authorised by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Between August 19 and 28, he transferred a total of Rs 29,12,000 into five different bank accounts.
When his purported investment value reached approximately Rs 24,00,000 and he attempted to withdraw the funds, he was first forced to deposit Rs 2,31,000 as a 5 per cent commission. Following this, the fraudsters demanded an additional 5 per cent as tax. Despite knowing that no such tax was applicable, Kumar transferred the amount in a desperate attempt to retrieve his trapped money. When the funds were still not released, he filed a complaint with the cyber crime police station.
Case 2: Businessman Lured with Small Profit, Loses Rs 11 Lakh
In a similar case, Gagan Bansal, a businessman from Shakti Khand, Indirapuram, was scammed of Rs 11,00,000. On August 4, he received a call on Facebook from a woman identifying herself as Shruti Seth, who claimed to own a salon in Mumbai and be associated with an investment company called 'Marketax'.
She added him to the company's group and convinced him to invest Rs 50,000, on which he was shown a profit of Rs 5,000. Lured by this initial return, Bansal was then persuaded to transfer an additional Rs 11,00,000 into various bank accounts. When he tried to withdraw his money, the fraudsters demanded a payment of Rs 8,40,000 as TDS (Tax Deducted at Source). Realising he had been scammed, he registered a case with the cyber crime police.
Police Investigation Underway
ACP (Crime) Bhaskar Verma commented on the cases, stating, "A case has been registered based on the victims' complaints and an investigation is underway. Instructions have been given to banks to freeze the accounts into which the money was transferred. Information is being extracted from the numbers used for communication. The fraudsters will be traced and arrested soon."