A 44-year-old woman recently fell prey to scammers in crypto trading fraud and lost Rs36.80 lakh.
According to the police, the complainant is a resident of Kharghar. On April 3, her mobile number was added to a WhatsApp group wherein the group members were taught how to trade online in crypto. The scammers then shared a web link with the complainant and asked to register and create an account on a crypto trading platform through that link.
The 'experts' told the woman about which crypto she had to buy and sell and accordingly, she kept investing and earned good profits, which were reflected on the trading app. Due to the increasing profits, the complainant decided to increase her trade further. Over the period, she ended up trading Rs36.80 lakh through the platform.
Later, the complainant was told by the trading company that if she wanted a withdrawal of her earnings, she can make a withdrawal request and withdraw her payment. The complainant then logged on to the trading platform and made a withdrawal request and was informed that she would get the withdrawn amount after June 23.
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However, when she did not receive her money, she confronted the scammers who told her that the financial action task force (FAFT) inquiry had started on the trading platforms, which were being used by her and hence her withdrawal process could not be cleared. The complainant then realised that she had been conned. She then approached the police and got an offence registered last week.
The victim has provided details of the WhatsApp group floated by the scammers, their contact details, bogus web link, trading app details and transaction details to the police in her complaint. A case has been registered by the police under sections 316 (criminal breach of trust), 318 (cheating) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections 66C (identity theft), 66D (cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information Technology Act in the matter.
