The victim, identified as Jayaraj (name changed), received a Telegram message on July 11 claiming that someone was critically ill and needed immediate help at a hospital. Believing the message had been sent to the wrong number, Jayaraj responded politely, advising the sender to check the contact. The sender, who introduced herself as Reeva Chauhan, thanked him and gradually began engaging in casual chats.
Their conversations soon moved from Telegram to WhatsApp, where voice calls and regular interactions helped Reeva gain Jayaraj’s trust. Over time, she presented herself as an employee of a stock trading company and convinced him that she could help him earn quick profits through investments.
On July 31, she introduced him to a trading platform called OSL Trade and assisted him in creating an account. Jayaraj was persuaded to invest ₹50,000 as an initial amount.
Within a short span, he saw a credit of ₹4,950 to his bank account, which reassured him that the platform was legitimate. Encouraged by the apparent returns, he began investing larger sums over the next month.
Between August 1 and September 17, Jayaraj transferred ₹44.2 lakh in three separate transactions—₹20 lakh, ₹12 lakh, and ₹12.2 lakh—to bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. His trading dashboard displayed mounting profits, with a balance showing nearly ₹24 lakh.
However, when he attempted to withdraw the money, the system denied the request, demanding additional investments to unlock the funds.
When Jayaraj explained that he had no more money to invest, communication from Reeva and the fraudsters abruptly stopped. Realizing he had been duped, he immediately contacted the national cybercrime helpline and filed a formal complaint with the East CEN Crime police on September 22.
Authorities have registered a case under the IT Act and Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (cheating). Police officials stated that efforts are underway to identify the perpetrators, trace the fraudulent accounts, and freeze any remaining funds before they can be siphoned off.
This incident underscores the growing risk of online investment fraud, where criminals exploit trust and emotional manipulation to steal vast sums from victims. Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant, verify investment platforms carefully, and avoid engaging with unsolicited messages promising financial gains.
