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VARANASI: A doctor couple from Varanasi currently based in Doha, Qatar, fell victim to an elaborate cyber fraud that cost them nearly 3 crore rupees after fraudsters lured them with promises of massive returns on stock market and initial public offering investments. The cyber criminals won the confidence of the couple through a fake investment firm, a dedicated WhatsApp group, and a fraudulent trading application. Over a period of five weeks, the victims transferred a total of 2,99,18,520 rupees across multiple bank accounts in nine separate transactions. The matter came to light when the couple attempted to withdraw their principal capital and accumulated profits, only to find their access blocked. Following a complaint, the cyber police station took prompt action and succeeded in freezing 87 lakh rupees across linked accounts.
Fake investment group and deceptive platform
The victims, originally residents of the Vinayaka area in Bhelupur, Varanasi, are currently employed in Doha. The fraud began while the woman doctor was visiting her home in Varanasi and received an unsolicited message on Facebook Messenger from an entity identifying itself as the Bollinger Band Academy. Representatives from the firm persuaded her that short-term investments in equities and primary market offerings would generate high financial yields. Once convinced, she was added to a 120-member WhatsApp community named F-6 Set Your Dreams in Motion.
An administrator identifying herself as Ananya Das led the group discussions, offering investment guidance and instructing members to trade on a platform operating under the domain upsktvpro.com. To establish legitimacy, the organizers shared forged Securities and Exchange Board of India registration certificates and official-looking regulatory documentation. These materials were deployed to reassure the couple that their capital was secure and that the investment platform operated under domestic financial regulations.
Funds transferred across multiple current accounts
Between September 21 and October 26, the syndicate instructed the couple to deposit funds using WhatsApp instructions issued by an alleged customer support desk. Each transaction was directed to a different individual or corporate current account. Relying on the instructions, the physician and her husband completed nine separate transfers amounting to nearly three crore rupees. The platform interface consistently displayed escalating gains, reinforcing the impression that their trades were yielding substantial profits.
The deception became apparent when the couple attempted to liquidate their capital along with the accrued earnings. The trading platform denied withdrawal requests, and the operators demanded additional payments under the pretext of clearance commissions. When the victims grew suspicious and attempted to press for their money, the communication lines went silent and all contact numbers were abruptly switched off.
Multi-state trail and swift police intervention
A subsequent investigation initiated by the cyber police station revealed that the defrauded funds were routed into current accounts spread across multiple Indian states. Investigators tracked transfers to Shivalik Small Finance Bank on Ambedkar Road in Ghaziabad, Bandhan Bank in Salt Lake City in Kolkata, and Federal Bank branches in Kamrup and Paltan Bazaar in Guwahati. Transactions were also mapped to Central Bank of India accounts in Sonipat, Haryana; Ranga Reddy district in Telangana; and Malda district in West Bengal.
Further traces led to Bank of India accounts located near Uma Devi Girls School in Katihar, Bihar, and in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Acting on the financial trails, cyber police managed to freeze 87 lakh rupees before the funds could be further layered or withdrawn. Investigating officers have scrutinized approximately 1,000 linked bank accounts to determine the identities of the account holders and trace the operators running the fraudulent trading domain and communication channels.
