Kaithal: Haryana Police have arrested three members of a cyber fraud syndicate accused of cheating a retired Education Department employee of more than ₹2.50 crore through a fake share market investment scheme. The accused allegedly used Facebook advertisements, a WhatsApp investment group, a fake trading platform and bogus video KYC to gain the victim’s trust.
Fake Trading Platform Used
According to police, the victim first came across a Facebook advertisement promoting stock market investments. After clicking the link, he was added to a WhatsApp group where people posing as investment advisors promised high returns within a short period.
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To make the scheme appear genuine, the fraudsters created a virtual wallet for the victim on a fake website designed to resemble SBI Securities and conducted a video KYC process. On September 1, 2025, the victim made an initial investment of ₹50,000 and soon received ₹1,000 as a return to build confidence.
₹2.50 Crore Transferred
The accused later displayed fictitious profits on the fake trading platform and persuaded the victim to transfer larger amounts into different bank accounts in multiple instalments. Believing that his investment portfolio was growing, the victim continued investing.
When he later tried to withdraw his investment and displayed profits, the accused demanded more money as company commission, processing charges and other fees. They also allegedly sent forged SBI Securities receipts and documents to make the demands appear legitimate.
Network Links Under Probe
After verifying the transactions with his bank, the complainant realised he had been cheated. Police said the accused fraudulently obtained ₹2,50,51,597 through multiple bank transfers.
Following an FIR at the Cyber Crime Police Station, investigators arrested Sanjay Kumar and Satrohan Kumar, both residents of Mirpur Koniya village in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, along with Dalip, a resident of Ambapur village in the same district.
Police said the bank accounts of Sanjay Kumar and Satrohan Kumar were allegedly used to receive the defrauded funds, while Dalip is accused of arranging and supplying bank accounts to other members of the cyber fraud network for commission.
Police Trace Money Trail
Dalip has been remanded to police custody for further interrogation, while the other two accused have been sent to judicial custody. Police are continuing efforts to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate.
Authorities are tracing the flow of the defrauded funds, examining bank accounts used in the scam and analysing digital evidence to uncover the full extent of the network.
