Lucknow. A cyber fraud targeting an 80-year-old retired junior engineer (JE) in Lucknow began with a Facebook friendship and ended with an alleged loss of ₹97.20 lakh. Fraudsters allegedly lured the retired Irrigation Department engineer with promises of huge profits from share trading in dollars. After convincing him to invest ₹26 lakh, they showed a fabricated profit of $240,000 on a fake mobile application. When he attempted to withdraw the money, another fraudster allegedly posed as a Customs Department revenue officer and demanded ₹71.20 lakh in the name of tax, conversion charges and insurance.
Harimohan, a resident of Sector-H in Ashiyana, told police that he was using Facebook on April 26 when he came into contact with a person identifying himself as Ganesh Agrawal. The accused allegedly introduced him to an investment opportunity involving share trading and promised substantial profits in dollars. During their conversations, he allegedly persuaded Harimohan to download a mobile application through which the investments could supposedly be managed.
Trusting the claims, Harimohan invested ₹26 lakh in two separate transactions on May 12. After some time, the application began displaying an alleged profit of $240,000. The application also claimed that the money had been deposited with a bank in London identified as Workle Bank. Seeing the substantial amount reflected on the application, the victim allegedly believed that his investment had generated significant returns.
₹71.20 lakh demanded to release alleged profits
When Harimohan attempted to withdraw the money displayed on the application, he received a call from an unknown number. The caller allegedly identified himself as Hardik Patel, a revenue officer with the Customs Department.
The caller allegedly told Harimohan that he had to pay ₹71.20 lakh towards capital tax, conversion charges and insurance before the alleged overseas profits could be released in India. Believing that the payment would enable him to access the large amount shown in the application, Harimohan allegedly made several payments totalling ₹71.20 lakh.
However, even after making the additional payments, he neither received his original investment nor the alleged profits displayed on the application. The total amount allegedly transferred to the fraudsters consequently reached ₹97.20 lakh.
Threatened with FIR when he demanded his money back
When Harimohan sought the return of his money, the person posing as the Customs official allegedly became aggressive. He reportedly claimed that ₹9 lakh from Harimohan’s original ₹26 lakh investment was allegedly linked to fraudulent funds.
The accused allegedly further told him that his entire investment amount was with the Reserve Bank of India in Delhi and that an investigation would be conducted. He also allegedly threatened to have an FIR registered against Harimohan by the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch.
Fearing legal action and under considerable mental pressure, Harimohan did not initially inform his family about the incident. However, his family members noticed his distress and questioned him. He eventually disclosed the alleged fraud on Monday, following which he approached the cybercrime police station with his family and lodged a complaint.
Police have launched an investigation into the case. Investigators are examining the mobile numbers used by the alleged fraudsters, bank accounts involved in the transactions, digital payment trails and technical details linked to the fake investment application. They are also attempting to trace where the money allegedly transferred by the victim was ultimately moved.
According to the police, the passage of time since the transactions could make it difficult to immediately freeze the funds. Investigators are therefore examining the financial trail and other digital evidence to identify the people involved and determine the movement of the allegedly defrauded money.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said investment fraudsters often begin by establishing contact and building trust through social media. They then use fake trading platforms or applications to display unrealistic profits and convince victims that their investments are growing rapidly. When victims attempt to withdraw the supposed profits, the fraudsters demand additional payments under various pretexts such as tax, conversion charges, insurance or processing fees.
He said profits displayed on an investment application should not be treated as genuine unless the money can actually be withdrawn and independently verified in the investor’s bank account. A demand for payment from someone claiming to be a government official, particularly when accompanied by threats of an FIR or investigation, should be treated as a major warning sign.
People should independently verify investment platforms and companies before transferring money or downloading applications recommended by unknown contacts. In case of cyber fraud, victims should immediately report the incident by calling 1930 and inform their bank and the police. Transaction records, payment screenshots, phone numbers, WhatsApp conversations and details of the suspicious application should also be preserved as evidence. Prompt reporting can improve the chances of freezing or recovering the defrauded funds.
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.
