Man loses ₹45 lakh in fake trading app and IPO allotment scam

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A 52-year-old nonmigratory of Nallakunta successful Hyderabad was cheated of much than ₹45 lakh successful an online concern fraud that operated done Facebook advertisements and a WhatsApp group.

The unfortunate came crossed a sponsored advertisement connected Facebook claiming to beryllium from alleged Investec Pvt. Ltd. The advertisement promised guidance connected banal marketplace trading and investments and redirected him to a WhatsApp radical titled, Study Circle, wherever respective members claimed to beryllium teaching trading strategies and concern techniques.

After gaining the victim’s confidence, the radical administrators persuaded him to download a trading exertion shared done the group. He initially invested ₹50,000 and was shown humble returns, which encouraged him to continue. Over the pursuing weeks, helium was repeatedly induced to put larger sums by 1 Professor Mukul Kochhar and his assistant.

The fraudsters falsely informed him that helium had been allotted IPO shares of ICICI Prudential and Global Ocean Logistics nether an over-subscription category, a assertion utilized to unit him into depositing much money. In total, the unfortunate transferred ₹45,01,017 to accounts provided by the group.

The trading exertion showed spectacular and wholly fabricated profits, displaying a equilibrium of much than ₹6.19 crore. However, erstwhile the unfortunate attempted to retreat the amount, his requests were repeatedly rejected connected assorted pretexts. He past realised helium was cheated and instantly lodged a ailment done the National Cyber Crime Helpline by dialling 1930. The cyber transgression helping of Hyderabad constabulary booked a lawsuit and initiated a probe.

Cybercrime officials said specified scams typically statesman with fake advertisements connected societal media platforms utilizing the names of reputed companies. Victims are past added to WhatsApp oregon Telegram groups with reassuring names specified arsenic “Study Circle” oregon “Trading Academy”, wherever fraudsters airs arsenic professors, analysts oregon concern experts. Victims are shown mendacious profits connected fake apps oregon websites and are pressured into making ample deposits, often successful the sanction of IPO allotments oregon premium trades. Once important amounts are transferred, withdrawals are blocked and connection is gradually chopped off.

Meanwhile, the constabulary urged radical to workout utmost caution portion investing online and to verify whether companies and trading platforms are registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India earlier transferring money. They warned against trusting concern offers circulated done societal media oregon messaging applications and cautioned radical not to instal chartless trading apps shared via links.

Anyone who suspects they person fallen unfortunate to an online concern fraud has been advised to instantly telephone the National Cyber Crime Helpline connected 1930 and lodge a ailment connected the cybercrime portal.

Published - January 27, 2026 07:38 p.m. IST

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