Pune: The Pune police have registered three separate cases of cyber fraud involving bogus share-trading schemes operated through WhatsApp with total losses amounting to nearly ₹1 crore. The cases were lodged on February 4 at different police stations across the city.
According to police, the victims were added to WhatsApp groups where they were promised high returns through stock market investments. Fraudsters allegedly shared fake trading tips, screenshots of fabricated profits and links to fraudulent trading platforms to gain the victims’ trust.
After initial small returns, the victims were persuaded to invest larger sums. Following this, the accused became unresponsive, and the platforms were shut down.
The first FIR pertains to an online share-trading fraud in which a 34-year-old IT professional from Wagholi lost ₹26.55 lakh after being added to a WhatsApp group titled “Road to Wealth – NSE”.
The second case was registered at Market Yard police station, where a city-based investor was allegedly cheated of around ₹ 42.66 lakh.
The third case was lodged at the cyber police station at Shivajinagar, in which a city resident was allegedly duped of ₹50 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}The third case was lodged at the cyber police station at Shivajinagar, in which a city resident was allegedly duped of ₹50 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}Cases have been registered under sections 318(4) (cheating), 319(2) (cheating by personation), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.