IT Professional Loses Rs 3.66 Crore in Online Share-Trading Scam in Pune
Pune, 13th October 2025: A 52-year-old team leader working in the IT sector in Hadapsar has fallen victim to a sophisticated online share-trading scam, losing Rs 3.66 crore between July 15 and October 1. The incident has raised concerns about the growing prevalence of high-return investment frauds targeting social media users.
The victim filed a complaint with the Pune Cyber Police on Saturday, prompting the registration of a First Information Report (FIR). According to the complaint, the IT professional encountered a link related to online share trading while browsing social media and clicked on it out of curiosity.
Senior Inspector Swapnali Shinde of Pune Cyber Police explained the modus operandi: “Once the victim’s number was added to a messaging group, he started receiving discussions and messages about high returns on share trading. The amounts mentioned in the group impressed him, and he eventually contacted the group’s admin.”
The admin provided a link to download a share-trading application and encouraged the victim to invest through it. “The app was a screen-manipulated tool controlled by the fraudsters from the other end,” Shinde said. Initially, the victim invested small amounts, but the scammers soon persuaded him to purchase high-value shares and IPOs under the promise of substantial profits.
“The fraudsters shared six bank account numbers with him and claimed that the money transferred would be used to buy shares on his behalf, with profits credited to his account,” Shinde added. Believing the claims, the victim transferred large sums of money. The app showed him enormous profits, prompting him to attempt a withdrawal. However, the scammers blocked the transaction and demanded additional funds, revealing the scam.
This is not an isolated incident. On October 3, a resident of Pimpri lost Rs 2.10 crore in a similar online share-trading fraud, while on October 9, a retired man from Pashan was defrauded of Rs 1.11 crore.
The Pune Police have repeatedly cautioned citizens against such schemes. “It is vital to verify the authenticity of messages, emails, or social media posts claiming extraordinary financial gains. Any promise of huge returns in a short period should be treated as a red flag,” experts advise.
