Three individuals, including two engineers and a businessman, have recently become victims of cyber fraud in the Gokak and Chikkodi areas, collectively losing approximately Rs 1.53 crore within a month.
An engineer residing in Khadaklath village, Chikkodi taluk, fell victim to a fraudulent scheme advertised on Facebook. Intrigued by a video promising extraordinary returns of 10% daily through share market investments, the victim entered a WhatsApp group where investments in Ben Capital and DNP Capital were solicited. Initially investing Rs 10,000 and receiving Rs 1 lakh on the same day, Shivaraj gradually invested a total of Rs 75.20 lakh. However, his returns dwindled to a mere Rs 1.97 lakh, prompting him to seek assistance from the CEN police.
In a similar vein, a Gokak-based businessman encountered fraudsters on Telegram while searching for stock traders. After providing his WhatsApp number and joining a group, he was persuaded to create a profile on KKRMF’s website. Consequently, he lost Rs 27.50 lakh to the fraudsters promising lucrative returns through stock trading.
A program associate at a reputable company was also ensnared by cyber fraudsters. Initially contacted through WhatsApp, he was later instructed to share an Instagram screenshot for registration purposes. Subsequently, he lost a staggering Rs 58.34 lakh to the scammers.
Belagavi Superintendent of Police, Bheemashankar Guled, emphasized the allure of substantial earnings as the bait used by fraudsters. He cautioned against unrealistic promises of quick returns, stressing that legitimate companies cannot provide such returns within a day. Guled highlighted the challenges of tracing cyber criminals and urged citizens to exercise vigilance, advising victims to promptly report incidents to the control room on 1930. He underscored the importance of swift action, as delayed complaints make it increasingly difficult to recover lost funds. Additionally, Guled urged the public to remain cautious of misleading advertisements on social media platforms to avoid falling prey to such scams.