Bengaluru man loses ₹80 lakh in online trading fraud, probe on: Report

A Bengaluru resident fell prey to a sophisticated online trading fraud, losing over ₹80 lakh.

Published on: Nov 13, 2025, 13:50:34 IST

By HT News Desk

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In yet another incident of cyber crime, a Bengaluru resident has reportedly fallen victim to a massive online trading fraud, losing over ₹80 lakh in the process.

Misled by a WhatsApp group promoting a fake trading app, the victim's transferred a total of ₹80.11 lakh to various bank accounts. (Unsplash )

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the victim, an ICICI Bank account holder, came across a firm named Aastha Credit & Securities Pvt Ltd online, said a report by the NDTV. Through this platform, he was introduced to two individuals who identified themselves as Aarav Gupta and Meena Joshi.

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The ordeal began on September 17, when he was unexpectedly added to a WhatsApp group titled “9015 Aastha VIP Moksha Circle.” Members of the group enthusiastically promoted an app called ACS Trade, claiming it offered quick and substantial profits through stock market trading, said the report.

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Convinced by their assurances, the complainant installed the app and started investing gradually. As per police records, he transferred ₹34.55 lakh initially, followed by ₹21.80 lakh in subsequent transactions, said the report. Later, when he tried to withdraw his earnings, he was told to pay additional “processing fees,” which led to another transfer of ₹23.72 lakh.

In total, the victim deposited ₹80.11 lakh into multiple bank accounts shared by people he had never met in person. Eventually, he realized that both his principal amount and the promised profits were gone.

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The police have registered a case and launched a probe into the online trading racket and its operators, the report noted.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.

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