Meerut. A Meerut resident allegedly lost ₹25 lakh after cyber fraudsters lured him with a gold scheme promising to sell gold at an unusually low price. The accused allegedly contacted him after he clicked on a gold-related advertisement on Facebook and persuaded him to make payments in instalments through different bank accounts. When the victim later demanded delivery of the gold, the accused allegedly began avoiding his calls and delaying the matter. A case has been registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, and an investigation has been launched.
Mohammad Umar, a resident of Zakir Colony in Lohianagar, told police that he came across an advertisement related to the purchase of gold on Facebook. Shortly after clicking on the advertisement, he received a phone call from a woman identified as Khushi. She allegedly told him that he could purchase 20 tolas of gold under a company’s gold scheme by making payments in instalments.
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According to Umar, the woman quoted a price of ₹1.25 lakh per tola. During their conversation, he was allegedly assured that the 20 tolas of gold would be provided after he completed the prescribed instalment payments. The accused subsequently sent him an agreement bearing the name “Royal Gold Sons Dealers in Gold Silver and Produce Metal Kanpur.”
Umar said he signed the agreement and returned it to the other party. After this, he allegedly began receiving repeated instructions to make online instalment payments. The alleged company sent QR codes at different times and instructed him to use them to transfer the money.
According to the complaint, Umar transferred a total of ₹25 lakh between August 30 and September 9 to the bank accounts specified by the alleged company. Some of the payments were made from his own bank accounts, while others were transferred from accounts belonging to his family members. After making the payments, he expected the promised gold to be delivered according to the terms of the scheme.
However, after the entire amount had allegedly been paid, Umar contacted the company to ask about the delivery of the gold and the status of his purchase. The accused allegedly began delaying the matter and failed to provide a clear response despite repeated attempts to contact them. Umar subsequently suspected that he had been cheated.
He approached the police, following which a case was registered against the alleged fraudsters at the Cyber Crime Police Station. The cyber cell has begun examining the case and is collecting details of the mobile numbers, bank accounts and digital payment channels allegedly used to receive the money.
Investigators are also trying to determine who operated the Facebook advertisement and whether the identity of the woman who contacted Umar after he clicked on it can be established. The banking trail of the QR-code payments is being examined to determine where the money was ultimately transferred and whether it was moved into additional accounts.
The cyber investigation team is also examining the agreement sent in the name of the alleged company. Investigators will determine whether it was a genuine commercial document or a document allegedly created to gain the victim’s confidence and induce him to make payments.
Police are also checking whether the bank accounts involved in the transaction had previously received money from other people in similar circumstances. Investigators are examining earlier transactions and complaints linked to the accounts to determine whether the alleged gold scheme was used to target additional victims.
The investigation will focus on tracing the digital and financial trail, identifying the people behind the advertisement and phone calls, and determining the final destination of the ₹25 lakh allegedly transferred by the victim. Further action will be taken on the basis of the evidence collected during the investigation.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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