Ayurveda doc loses ₹8L to cyber frauds

Surat: An Ayurveda doctor was cheated of Rs 8.04 lakh by cyber crooks who lured her with good returns in stock market investment on Instagram.
The 32-year-old doctor was asked to download an app and transfer money to buy the stocks. Cheaters offered her double returns on her investment and gave her tips regarding the upper circuit of potential shares.

Surat cybercrime police have registered a complaint for cheating and conspiracy against unknown persons under IPC and IT Act.
According to details, Niranka Patil, who works in OH Nazar Ayurveda College of Surat, was surfing her Instagram account and came across an advertisement of lucrative returns on stock investment. On clicking the advertisement, she was automatically added to a Whatsapp group named – G6 (Of A Dream) Take Off – Apollo Private Equity Trading Company.
She started getting messages related to stock market in the group which she observed for a month. When she expressed her willingness to join the group, she was sent a form on her mobile to fill up. On April 9, one of the group members, who identified herself as Sachi Arora, sent Patil a link and asked her to download an application. As she downloaded, her wallet was opened in the app.
She was added to another WhatsApp group - G813 customer service window.
Following the instructions, Patil transferred Rs 1.50 lakhs to the bank accounts given to her from April 25 to 29. With the money, crooks purchased different shares for her, and her wallet showed Rs 2.50 lakh balance. As she was in need for money, they even allowed her to withdraw Rs 1.30 lakh on May 2.
On May 7, the cheaters gave Patil a tip to purchase 1,000 shares of Winsol. When she agreed, they credited 18,000 shares in her wallet instead of 1,000 and told her to pay Rs 12.78 lakh negative balance in her wallet. When she refused to pay, they threatened her with legal actions citing contract breach, and told her that she would not be able to invest in the market in the future. Out of fear, Patil transferred them Rs 7.59 lakh in different transactions from May 10 to 20. When she ran out of money, she offered a subsidy in her wallet.
However, instead of giving subsidy, the fraudsters asked for the remaining Rs 4 lakhs along with 30% GST. Realizing that she had been cheated, Patil called the cyber helpline on 1930 and registered a complaint on May 20.
Based on the complaint, a formal FIR was registered by Surat cybercrime police on June 27.