39-Year-Old Kharghar Woman Duped of ₹92.9 Lakh in Online Shares Trading Scam

Navi Mumbai: A 39-year-old Kharghar resident has fallen victim to a sophisticated shares trading scam, losing ₹92.9 lakh in just over two months. The incident unfolded between October 1 and December 5, after she was lured through an Instagram advertisement promising returns of 5%-200% on investments. The woman was duped via a fake trading app, where she saw non-existent profits of ₹5.25 crore.

Case Details

The woman, whose husband works in a private firm in Mumbai, clicked on the ad link on Instagram and was subsequently added to a WhatsApp group. This group regularly shared information about buying and selling shares to build credibility.

On October 1, the scammers provided her a web link, leading her to download a fraudulent trading app. Over the following weeks, she made 41 online transactions, transferring ₹92.9 lakh on the scammers' instructions. The fraud came to light when the culprits demanded additional payments under the guise of taxes, prompting her to suspect foul play.

She reported the crime last week to Navi Mumbai police, who registered an offence under sections 318 and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 66D of the IT Act.