Investment fraud: Pune doctor falls prey to fake post by IT leader, loses Rs 20 lakh

The 49-year-old pathologist filed a complaint at Vimantal police station this week. According to the doctor, the Facebook post was attributed to a prominent industry leader, who has also held appointments on a key government body in the past. The post talked about investment opportunities in what they claimed as ‘British Bitcoins’ and had contact details for registration, the complainant alleged.

According to the police, when the doctor registered himself, he received a call from an international number with the country code of the United Kingdom and the caller sought from him Indian money equivalent to $250 for registration. “Soon after transferring the money, another person calling from an international number also sought cash equivalent to $1000 for document verification, opening a trading account, and also an online video tutorial on how to trade in bitcoin,” said an officer.

He made the payments and in a later communication, the callers who described themselves as executives of a cryptocurrency trading company, sought from him cash equivalent of $12,070 and $11,500. The first amount was sought for bitcoin trading and the second was demanded threatening him that he will not get his earlier investment back.

On realising that he had been tricked, the pathologist approached the cyber crime cell of Pune City police. By then he had handed over more than Rs 20.5 lakh to the fraudsters.

Senior Inspector V T Sonde, in-charge of Vimantal police station, said that after a preliminary inquiry by the cyber crime cell, a case has been registered earlier this week. “We have launched a probe into the contact details and bank accounts used by the suspects,” the inspector said.