Cyber fraudsters dupe Lko investors of ₹3.7 cr on social media
Cases were registered at the cyber crime police station, and efforts are underway to freeze the bank accounts used in the scam
Five investors were collectively duped of ₹3.7 crore by fraudsters who lured them through fake social media advertisements promising high returns on share trading, in the state capital.
A case was registered at the cyber crime police station, and efforts are underway to freeze the bank accounts used in the scam.
According to inspector Brijesh Yadav, in-charge of the cyber crime police station, the fraudsters used fabricated advertisements on platforms like Facebook to gain the victims’ trust. After attracting attention through these ads, they continued communication over WhatsApp and Telegram, posing as representatives of a SEBI-registered brokerage firm.
One of the victims, Avneesh Singh, a businessman from Harihar Nagar in Indiranagar, came across a share trading ad on Facebook in March. He was contacted by a woman identifying herself as “Shruti,” claiming to represent Ashika Stock Broking — a registered firm. After investing an initial ₹10,000 and receiving ₹11,000 in return, Avneesh was convinced of the scheme’s legitimacy and increased his investment significantly.
Between March and April, Avneesh transferred a total of ₹1.85 crore into various accounts suggested by the fraudsters. A fake trading portal showed his returns reaching ₹10.81 crore. However, when he attempted to withdraw the funds, the scammers demanded a “commission” of ₹71.66 lakh, raising suspicion and ultimately prompting him to file a police complaint.
In another case, Deenbandhu Pal, a resident of Ahilyabai Nagar in Kalyanpur, Gudamba, was defrauded of ₹1.43 crore between March 18 and April 21. He too was ensnared through similar online tactics involving fake trading schemes and persuasive messaging over encrypted platforms.
Police are currently coordinating with banks to freeze the beneficiary accounts and trace the digital trail of the perpetrators.
Similarly, two individuals were duped of a combined ₹42 lakh through investment scams involving fake trading platforms in Lucknow. Both cases were registered on May 14 at the cyber crime police station in the city.
Surendra Nath Yadav, a resident of Gonda, fell prey to a cryptocurrency scam through a fake platform, Investopedia.
Approached on social media and persuaded by individuals claiming to be programmers and customer support executives, he was lured into investing $11,000 ( ₹9.6 lakh). Promised huge returns, he continued investing but each withdrawal attempt was blocked with demands for extra charges like “verification fees” and “credit score boosts,” said SHO cyber-crime police station, Lucknow, Brijesh Yadav.
Sunil Kumar, a Lucknow resident, was scammed out of ₹20 lakh after receiving an investment offer via WhatsApp and being added to a Telegram group named E1104 ELIOR GROUP. “Directed to a fake website www.eliorin-service.com, he was tricked into transferring money to multiple bank accounts, believing he was earning profits. The scam was so elaborate that initial returns were deposited into his account to build trust. Encouraged by this, the victim continued investing until demands for more money were made under the pretense of unlocking the full returns,” said the SHO.
