NEW DELHI: Two men in the city lost Rs 56 lakh after falling prey to scammers who promised high returns on online trading investments.
In the first case, a resident of South Delhi’s Chattarpur was duped of Rs 32 lakh. According to the complaint, he encountered an online trading website while surfing the internet. Initially wary, he ignored the initial prompt to deposit funds. However, he later received a call from an international number with a persuasive individual promoting the platform’s benefits and legitimacy.
The complainant told cops he then deposited a total of Rs 45,861 across two transactions. The platform allegedly presented a quick and profitable scenario, encouraging him to invest further. He was lured by the promise of high returns and claims of significant profits displayed on the platform.
However, when he attempted to withdraw his funds, he was met with resistance. The platform allegedly requested numerous identity verifications and ultimately blocked his profile after he expressed concerns about the legitimacy of the operation.
The complaint details multiple UPI transactions used to deposit funds, all culminating in a total loss exceeding Rs 32 lakh. The complainant told cops that he fears there might be more victims of this alleged scam and urges others to be cautious of online investment platforms with unrealistic profit promises. Police registered a case in this regard.
In another case, a resident of Malviya Nagar lost Rs 24 lakh in an online trading scam. The complainant told cops that he saw an advertisement on social media regarding share trading. He contacted the phone number provided in the ad and was persuaded to open an account with a company.
The complainant was then encouraged to apply for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) for a company, which promised an allotment of 65,000 shares valued at Rs 70,80,000. Feeling overwhelmed by the large sum, the complainant communicated his concerns through WhatsApp. The alleged perpetrator then advised him to contact customer care for a loan.
The complainant told cops that he was offered a Rs 35 lakh loan through customer care, requiring him to deposit the remaining amount. This led him to take loans from banks and even sell his car to meet the deposit requirement.
“After depositing the full amount, he noticed a new IPO added to his account and raised concerns with the scammers via WhatsApp. However, he received no response, and his access to the funds was restricted,” police said.
