Four residents of Noida and Greater Noida have allegedly lost around ₹63 lakh in separate cyber frauds involving fake trading platforms, fabricated investment profits and an IGL impersonation scam.
The four complaints have reached the Cyber Crime Police, with investigators examining beneficiary bank accounts, mobile numbers, trading applications and payment links used by the fraudsters. The individual losses were around ₹5.50 lakh, more than ₹30 lakh, ₹6.83 lakh and ₹21 lakh.
The cases are separate, and police have not established that the same network operated all four scams.
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Small payouts allegedly built trust before ₹30 lakh loss
Greater Noida resident Surendra Singh told police that he received a call in October 2024 about an online trading platform.
He began trading after the contact and initially received money back twice. Those early withdrawals allegedly convinced him that the investment was genuine.
The demands later increased.
According to the complaint, he was told his money had moved into an “AI mode” and that further investment was required before he could withdraw it.
Additional demands allegedly followed in the name of capital-gains tax and dollar-to-rupee conversion charges.
By the time communication stopped, Singh alleged that he had transferred more than ₹30 lakh.
The technique is common in fake investment scams. A small amount is sometimes returned at the beginning because an early payout can create enough confidence for the victim to transfer much larger sums later.
Fake trading app allegedly takes another ₹21 lakh
In another case, Rahul of Shahberi in Greater Noida West allegedly lost around ₹21 lakh after being persuaded to invest through an application called “Fuel India”.
The alleged fraud ran between October 2024 and March 2025. Rahul told police that money was transferred through different channels for online investment and trading, but neither his principal nor the promised returns were recovered.
He had earlier complained through the national cybercrime portal before the matter reached the local Cyber Crime Police Station.
As reported earlier by The420.in, there is no reliable evidence connecting the alleged “Fuel India” investment platform in this case with any legitimate company carrying a similar name.
The name displayed on an app therefore should never be treated as proof that the platform is regulated or genuine.
IGL message allegedly drains ₹6.83 lakh from bank account
The third case followed a very different route.
Sector 22 resident Deepak Pant allegedly received an SMS carrying the IGL logo on October 26, 2025. The message included numbers that he was asked to contact regarding his gas connection.
When Pant contacted the numbers, people claiming to be IGL employees allegedly told him that his gas supply would be disconnected unless the bill was paid immediately.
A payment link was then sent.
After he clicked it, ₹6,83,105 was allegedly withdrawn from his account.
This case shows how cyber fraud does not always require an elaborate investment platform.
A familiar company logo, an urgent warning and a link can be enough if the victim believes immediate action is required.
Another investor allegedly loses ₹5.50 lakh
In the fourth complaint, Sector 19 resident Prashant Sharma alleged that fraudsters persuaded him to invest through an online trading application and gradually got ₹5.50 lakh transferred from his account.
The operators allegedly used misleading profit promises before refusing to return the money.
Police are now examining the accounts that received the funds and the digital identifiers used by the accused.
A date inconsistency also appears in the source report regarding Sharma’s investment period, so that timeline should not be stated more precisely until police records clarify it.
Different scams, same pressure to send more money
Three of the four cases revolve around investments, but the underlying manipulation is remarkably similar.
The victim is shown an opportunity that appears profitable or urgent.
In trading scams, fake dashboards can display increasing profits. When withdrawal is attempted, new obstacles appear — margin requirements, taxes, conversion fees or additional investment.
In impersonation scams, the pressure comes from fear rather than greed.
The victim may be told that electricity, gas or another essential service will be disconnected unless payment is made immediately.
Both methods reduce the time available for independent verification.
That is exactly what fraudsters need.
A separate Noida complaint reported on September 14 involved resident Saurabh Mishra, who alleged losing ₹10.40 lakh through another online trading platform. He reportedly invested between July 19 and August 7 but could withdraw only ₹5,000 before facing problems accessing the rest. That is a separate FIR and is not included in the ₹63 lakh four-case total.
Police trace accounts, apps and numbers
Cyber Crime Police are examining the bank accounts, mobile numbers and online platforms used across the four cases.
The transaction trail can help identify mule accounts that received victims’ money before it was moved elsewhere.
Police will also need to determine whether any of the beneficiary accounts appear in other cybercrime complaints.
For victims, reporting speed remains critical.
If fraudulent money is reported quickly through the cybercrime helpline 1930 and the national portal, banks and police may have a better chance of freezing it before it moves through further accounts.
What this means for you: Do not pay additional “tax”, “margin” or “conversion” charges simply because an investment app says your profits are ready for withdrawal. For utility messages, contact the company through its official website or app rather than using a phone number or payment link contained in an unexpected SMS.
The420 Insight: The four Noida cases look different on the surface, but they rely on the same weakness: getting the victim to trust information controlled entirely by the fraudster. Whether that information is a rising trading balance or an urgent gas-disconnection warning, the goal is the same — make the next payment feel necessary before the victim verifies the claim.
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