Mumbai: A 75-year-old doctor from Pune, Maharashtra, lost about 12 crores after falling prey to cyber fraudsters. He was cheated by saying that if he invested in the stock market, the amount would double in 11 days. The doctor was convinced that if he invested in stocks for 11 days, then he would get returns of about 54 crores. Believing that he would get more profits in a short time, the doctor transferred money to the cyber criminals for a few weeks.
The cheating started in January this year, according to a police complaint. The victim doctor first received a message from an unknown number. The message said that if he invested in the stock markets, he would make huge profits. The doctor, who was hoping for money, showed interest in the cyber criminals. The cyber criminals lured the elderly doctor through a WhatsApp group called VIP Stock 24. The accused shared an investment plan through that WhatsApp group. Since the plan was attractive, the doctor transferred his money. The cybercriminals repeatedly convinced the doctor that if he followed their instructions correctly, the returns would come in just 11 days.
According to the police, the victim had used a fake trading app. The app was identified as a reputable company. First, the cybercriminals collected personal and financial details. They then asked for money to be transferred to several bank accounts. The money sent by the doctor was shown as an investment in the fake app. The app also presented huge profits. From March 7 to 18, the victim transferred money to 8 accounts. It is believed that the doctor transferred about Rs 12.31 crore.
However, when the doctor refused to invest the money, the cyber criminals pressured him. The accused threatened to seize the property. The police said that they intimidated the doctor into transferring the money. The victim transferred the money for about three months. However, the police said that the doctor realized that he had been cheated when the money was not returned. After that, he approached the police and filed a complaint. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered at the Cyber Police Station. The police are continuing their investigation into the case.
