A 64-year-old man from the Civil Lines area was allegedly cheated of nearly ₹1.5 crore in a sophisticated cyber fraud after coming in contact with a so-called coin collectors group on Facebook, police said on Friday. The accused lured the victim with promises of a high-value antique coin deal in the United States and siphoned off money in nearly a hundred instalments before disappearing.
The Cyber Crime Police Station has registered an FIR and launched a detailed investigation into what officials describe as a well-organised, multi-layered cyber fraud network, involving three foreign nationals posing as collectors and legal advisers.
According to the complaint filed by Civil Lines resident Jarnardan Agarwal, the fraud began in September 2025, when he noticed a post from a Facebook profile named R.A. Singh in a group claiming to represent international coin collectors. Trusting the post, Agarwal shared his mobile number, following which he began receiving calls and messages from multiple individuals.
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Fake collectors, forged documents
One of the first callers introduced himself as Mohammad bin Nayaf, claiming to be an international coin collector. He persuaded the victim to share photographs of his antique copper and silver coins via WhatsApp and soon claimed that a deal worth ₹25 crore had been finalised with buyers in the US.
To “formalise” the deal, the accused demanded money under the pretext of registration, processing, licensing and export-related charges. Believing the transaction to be genuine, Agarwal transferred ₹1.84 lakh initially.
Soon after, the victim was contacted by other accused — identifying themselves as Sophie, Mr Bois and Mr Rick — who claimed to be US-based legal advisers handling the transaction. To reinforce credibility, they sent forged documents, including a fake “US Coins Union” certificate and a fabricated payment receipt purportedly issued by Bank of America.
Misled by the documents and repeated assurances, Agarwal continued transferring money in multiple instalments, ultimately losing around ₹1.35 crore more. Police said the accused ensured the payments were made in small, repeated transactions, making the fraud harder to detect at an early stage.
After the final transfers, the accused deleted WhatsApp chats and cut off all communication, prompting the victim to approach the cyber crime police.
Three foreign nationals under scanner
Police officials said the FIR names multiple accused, including three foreign nationals, and efforts are under way to trace their digital footprints and financial trails. Investigators are examining bank accounts, IP addresses and communication records to establish the full extent of the network and identify possible international links.
Officials said coordination with central cyber agencies and financial intelligence units is being explored to track overseas money movement.
Separate case: refund scam after APK fraud
In a separate cyber crime case, Prayagraj cyber police said they successfully recovered ₹1.22 lakh for a woman who had earlier fallen victim to online fraud. The woman reportedly lost ₹4.09 lakh after being tricked into downloading a malicious APK file while trying to confirm an online shampoo order using a fake customer care number found through a Google search.
After the initial fraud, another accused — identified as Nitesh, a resident of Indore — allegedly contacted her, claiming he could recover the stolen money by converting it into cryptocurrency and placing it in a digital e-wallet. Instead, he duped her of several more lakh rupees in the name of facilitating the refund. An FIR has been registered in this case as well.
Police advisory
Police officials said both incidents underline the growing threat of cyber frauds targeting senior citizens and online shoppers. Citizens have been advised to avoid sharing personal details on social media, verify claims of high-value deals, and never transfer money based on online assurances or unsolicited calls.
The investigation into the ₹1.5-crore coin collectors fraud is ongoing, and police said more arrests are likely as the money trail is traced and digital evidence analysed.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
