In yet another case of online investment fraud, cybercriminals have cheated an engineer from Greater Noida West of ₹50 lakh by offering lucrative stock market investment opportunities. According to police, the victim was added to a WhatsApp group by a person who introduced himself as Praveen Patel, a so-called “cyber expert,” and promised professional trading guidance and daily profits.
Trust built through small early returns
The scam began on September 20, when the accused called the victim, who works for a private company in Gujarat and is currently working from home in Noida. The fraudster persuaded him to invest an initial sum of ₹50,000. Within two days, ₹9,000 was credited to the victim’s account as “profit,” convincing him that the platform was legitimate. Gaining confidence, the engineer continued to invest larger amounts over the following weeks.
Victim transfers ₹50 lakh over 20 days
Encouraged by fake profits and messages within the WhatsApp group, the victim invested progressively higher sums until he had transferred a total of ₹50 lakh over a period of 20 days. However, when he later tried to withdraw his earnings along with the principal amount, the fraudsters stopped responding and deleted the WhatsApp group, cutting off all contact.
Complaint filed with cybercrime police station
Realising that he had been defrauded, the victim filed a complaint through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Acting on the complaint, police at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Noida, registered an FIR against unidentified persons under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act.
Police begin probe, issue public warning
ADCP (Cyber) Shavya Goyal confirmed that the case has been registered and said that an investigation is underway to trace the perpetrators and the accounts where the money was transferred. She also urged the public to remain vigilant against online trading offers circulated through social media or messaging platforms.
Cyber police advisory for investors
Officials have warned that fraudsters frequently use WhatsApp and Telegram groups to create an illusion of legitimacy by showing fabricated profits and testimonials. The police advised citizens to verify the credentials of investment platforms through official financial regulators and to report any suspicious activity immediately by dialling 1930 or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in.
