A 41-year-old businessman from Nagpur recently fell victim to a fraudulent online platform, losing a staggering Rs 87 lakhs. This case sheds light on the increasing sophistication of online scams and the need for heightened awareness and regulatory measures to protect investors.
The Scam Unfolds
The victim, identified as Mishra, initially received a friend request on Facebook from Jesleen Prasad, who would later become the orchestrator of the scam. Prasad offered Mishra an enticing opportunity to trade on the New York Stock Exchange, presenting a seemingly legitimate portal, newyorkstockexchangev.top. To gain Mishra’s trust, Prasad shared screenshots of successful trades by other investors.
Initial Investment Success
Mishra, intrigued by the opportunity, provided his bank details and received a login ID for the trading platform. He made an initial investment of Rs 50,000, which quickly purportedly grew to Rs 1.42 lakh within 10 minutes. The money was transferred to Mishra’s bank account, solidifying his trust in the platform and its operators.
The Big Loss
Encouraged by the initial success, Mishra was persuaded to invest a larger sum of Rs 30 lakh with the promise of 10x returns. He agreed to share 10% of the profits with the platform operators. However, this entire amount was lost within 10 minutes. When Mishra questioned the loss, Prasad blamed it on Mishra’s failure to follow specific instructions.
A Second Chance Gone Wrong
Despite the significant loss, Mishra was offered another chance to invest Rs 57 lakh, again with the promise of 10x gains. After making this investment, the trading screen displayed a profit of Rs 8 crore. When Mishra requested the transfer of these profits to his bank account, he was informed that a security code was required, necessitating an additional payment of Rs 82 lakh. By this point, Mishra had already filed a police complaint.
Legal Action and Broader Implications
Mishra has lodged a complaint at the Lakadganj police station in Nagpur. The case highlights the growing menace of online financial scams and the need for stricter regulations and awareness to prevent such fraudulent activities.
Increasing Cyber Frauds
This incident is part of a broader trend of increasing cyber frauds. Reports indicate that Indians lost over ₹1,750 crore to cyber fraud in the first four months of 2024 alone. Furthermore, there were 90,000 scams in four months, underscoring the urgent need for effective countermeasures.
