Hyderabad: Cyber fraudsters posing as stock broking advisers swindled ₹3.2 crore from a businesswoman in Hyderabad’s Gandhi Nagar, luring her with false investment returns on WhatsApp.
On May 28, the woman received a link on WhatsApp, inviting her to join a stock trading group. Believing it genuine, she joined the group and began investing based on trading tips shared by the fraudsters.
Over the span of about six weeks from May 30 to July 9 she ended up transferring ₹3.24 crore to bank accounts shared by the group, convinced she was putting money into legitimate stock market trades.
By June 20, the fraudsters showed her fabricated portfolio statements reflecting a notional value of ₹30 crore. She was able to withdraw ₹5 lakh once, but subsequent attempts to access the remaining funds failed.
When the group became unresponsive, she realised she had been duped and approached the Cyber Security Bureau. A case has been registered and investigation is underway.
Officials said fraudsters are using social media platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, and X to push fake investment schemes promising massive returns. Victims are often baited with early profits before being cleaned out.
Cyber Security Bureau warned the public to stay alert to such scams, adding that efforts are on to trace the accused and take strict action.
