Pune: Cyber Thieves Dupe Citizens of Rs 38 Lakh on Pretext of Stock Market Investments

Pune, 28th December 2024: In a series of cyber fraud cases, cybercriminals have defrauded citizens of Pune to the tune of ₹38 lakh by luring them with promises of lucrative stock market returns. Separate cases have been registered at various police stations, with the victims including a senior citizen, a woman, and a Vishrantwadi resident.

In the first case, a senior citizen from the Market Yard area fell victim to a ₹21.48 lakh fraud. The complainant, a businessman, received a message in November from cyber fraudsters claiming to offer high returns on stock market investments. Persuaded by their assurances, he transferred money to the bank accounts provided by the scammers. Initially, the thieves refunded small amounts to gain his trust. However, they eventually stopped responding and ceased the refunds. Upon realizing the fraud, he lodged a complaint at the Market Yard Police Station.

In a second incident, a woman was duped of ₹6.69 lakh by cybercriminals in a similar scheme. The fraudsters contacted her with enticing investment opportunities in the stock market. She later approached Mundhwa Police Station to file a complaint. Senior Police Inspector Neelkanth Jagtap is handling the case.

In the third case, a resident from Vishrantwadi was swindled out of ₹11.23 lakh under the same pretext. The victim was convinced to invest substantial amounts of money by the cyber thieves, who then disappeared after receiving the funds. A complaint has been registered at Vishrantwadi Police Station, with Police Inspector Yuvraj Hande leading the probe.

The police have urged citizens to remain cautious of unsolicited investment schemes and to verify the authenticity of such offers before transferring money. Investigations are underway in all three cases to trace and apprehend the perpetrators.