Hyderabad has reported yet another case of sophisticated online investment fraud, where two city-based doctors were allegedly cheated of more than ₹2 crore in separate incidents involving fake trading platforms and social media-based scams.
According to cybercrime officials, the fraudsters used Instagram advertisements and WhatsApp communication to target victims with promises of high returns on online investments. The cases have raised fresh concerns over the growing use of social media platforms for financial frauds.
In the first case, a doctor residing in AC Guards, Nampally, came across an Instagram advertisement promoting lucrative returns on online trading investments. After clicking the link, he was redirected to a fake platform and soon contacted via WhatsApp by a woman identifying herself as “Pratima Bansal.”
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Trusting the communication and the professional-looking interface of the platform, the doctor began investing funds in stages. Over time, he transferred more than ₹1.76 crore into the fraudulent system. The fake trading dashboard later showed inflated profits, displaying an apparent balance of nearly ₹14 crore in his account.
However, when the victim attempted to withdraw the money, the fraudsters allegedly imposed additional payment conditions, claiming taxes, processing charges, and verification fees. Each time the victim complied, further demands were made, and eventually, the withdrawal access was completely blocked.
Realizing he had been deceived, the doctor approached the Hyderabad Cybercrime Police and lodged a formal complaint. Officials have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the digital trail of the scam network.
In a separate but similar incident, another doctor from Asifnagar was also targeted using the same modus operandi. He was allegedly induced to invest ₹28.54 lakh after being shown consistent fake profits on a parallel trading interface. His account reportedly displayed an inflated balance of ₹73.92 lakh.
Like in the previous case, when the victim attempted to withdraw funds, he was denied access and asked to deposit additional money to “unlock” profits. After repeated demands and no successful withdrawal, the victim realized the fraudulent nature of the scheme and reported it to authorities.
Cybercrime investigators suspect that both cases may be linked to a larger organized fraud network operating through multiple digital platforms, including fake investment portals, WhatsApp communication channels, and social media advertisements.
Officials said that the fraudsters are using highly structured psychological manipulation techniques, including showing fake profits, creating urgency for further investments, and blocking withdrawals under technical excuses. Such tactics are increasingly being used in online investment scams across the country.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the fake trading platforms were designed to simulate real-time financial markets, making victims believe that their investments were growing rapidly. However, all figures displayed were manipulated and not linked to any real trading activity.
Authorities have urged citizens to exercise caution while investing in online schemes promoted through social media advertisements or unsolicited messages. They emphasized that guaranteed high returns, especially those exceeding normal market rates, are often a major red flag.
The Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have registered separate cases in both incidents and are currently tracing the digital footprints, including IP addresses, payment gateways, and communication channels used by the fraudsters.
Officials are also coordinating with financial institutions to track the flow of money and attempt recovery where possible. However, they acknowledged that such fraud networks often use layered transactions and multiple accounts, making recovery difficult.
Investigators believe that the scam may involve operators based outside Telangana as well, indicating a wider interstate or even international cyber fraud network.
With cyber fraud cases rising sharply, law enforcement agencies have once again warned the public to verify investment platforms before transferring funds and to report suspicious activity immediately. The investigation into both cases is currently ongoing, and more details are expected as the digital analysis progresses.
