Pune: A 60-year-old retired central government officer in Pune lost Rs 1.41 crore to cybercrooks in an online share trading fraud between May and July this year.Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police officer said, “In April, while searching for information on stock market investments on a social media platform, he came across a post promising 1,200% returns on share investments. Upon clicking the link, he was added to an investors’ group on a mobile messaging app. The group administrator shared details of an investment company and documents claiming that it was registered with SEBI.“As instructed, the complainant downloaded a trading application. Between May and July 14 this year, he transferred Rs 1.41 crore to different bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. It showed that he had made a profit of Rs1.41 crore on his investments and was advised to sell them and withdraw the money. However on attempting to do so, the fraudster demanded an additional Rs30 lakh as tax. He requested them to deduct the tax from his profit and return the remaining. But the fraudsters kept insisting him to transfer the additional amount” officer said.Realising he had been cheated, the complainant lodged a complaint.The money was transferred to bank accounts in Huzurnagar in Telangana, Alandur in Chennai, Kolkata in West Bengal, Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu, Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand, and Navi Mumbai. “We have sought details of these accounts from the banks,” the officer added.
