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A 63-year-old man from Mangaluru has lodged a complaint after being cheated of ₹13.9 lakh through an online investment scam that preyed on his trust. The fraud began on August 28 when he clicked an advertisement that falsely featured India’s Union Finance Minister and an MP purportedly endorsing a trading scheme. Believing the endorsements to be genuine, the victim was contacted by a woman calling herself “Nandini Tyagi,” and later a “financial expert” named Vikram Singh. Both convinced him that by investing in their scheme, he could earn high returns.
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How the Scam Operated
Between August 28 and October 22, the victim transferred multiple sums totalling ₹13.9 lakh to various bank accounts, as directed by the fraudsters. However, when his funds were not credited back, he realised he had been duped and approached the Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) and the Barke Police Station to register a formal complaint.
Another Scam from Mangaluru
In a separate incident, a 74-year-old retired man from the same region lost ₹3.8 lakh after scammers posing as a washing-machine service centre coaxed him into downloading a malicious APK file. Once installed, the software siphoned off ₹2.3 lakh from one account and ₹1.4 lakh from another. A case has been filed at the Mangaluru Rural police station in that matter.
These twin incidents underscore the growing sophistication of cyber fraud in coastal Karnataka, where criminals use fake endorsements, cloned websites or malicious apps to target unsuspecting individuals. Police investigatory teams are now tracing the money-trail, analysing bank accounts, and alerting the public to guard against schemes promising unrealistic returns.
Users Advised to be Aware
Victims are advised to verify endorsement claims, refuse unsolicited investment invites, never download unknown‐link apps, and report any suspicious activity immediately. The Mangaluru authorities say this case serves as a warning that even trusted names can be misused online — and that vigilance remains the best defence.
