Delhi Police uncovered a Rs 22.7 lakh cyber scam and apprehended two individuals from Haryana. The operation targeted a fraudulent stock trading app syndicate. The scam came to light when a complainant, Amita Garg, reported being duped through a WhatsApp group named “Stan Chart Dialogue Forum L7.”
The group, managed by five administrators, discussed Demat shares and stock market investments. One of the administrators, Yalini Guna, promoted an investment scheme via their app ‘SCIIHNW,’ promising profitable shares. The victim, enticed by the offer, invested Rs 2.7 lakh through multiple transactions. However, upon attempting to withdraw the funds, she faced hurdles and was coerced to invest more money.
The complainant eventually invested a total of Rs 22.7 lakh, only to realize she had been scammed when the accused blocked her on the application. Following the discovery, she filed a complaint on the cyber crime portal, leading to the registration of an e-FIR and the initiation of an investigation by Inspector Shweta Sharma and her team.
To crack the case, a team was formed under the leadership of SHO PS Cyber Vijay Kumar, involving Inspector Shweta Sharma and other officers. The investigation traced the money trail to a bank account held by a resident of Hisar, Haryana, named Sameer. Subsequent inquiries revealed the involvement of other suspects through Call Detail Records (CDR) analysis.
The suspects, identified as Sameer and Dev Singh, were apprehended in Hisar on December 10. Following thorough interrogation, it was disclosed that Sameer had opened multiple bank accounts for the scam, receiving compensation for each account. The duo was found in possession of incriminating items, leading to their arrest and subsequent judicial custody.
During the interrogation, it was disclosed that the fraudsters targeted victims on social media platforms, portraying themselves as financial experts. They enticed victims with promises of high returns on stock market investments, gradually escalating the investment amounts. Once a substantial sum was invested, victims were either shown significant losses or informed of account freezes, culminating in the fraudsters absconding with the funds.
