Gurugram doctor duped of Rs 4.9 lakh on pretext of share market investment
Gurugram: A doctor was cheated of Rs 4.9 lakh by scammers who offered him the opportunity to invest in the share market. The doctor said the entire amount was lost within three days last month.
The victim was identified as a doctor posted at the Pachgaon military station in Manesar.
The culprits used different social engineering techniques including impersonation, fake company names, and promises of easy money to manipulate the victim's trust and lead him to a financial loss.
According to the police, the doctor was initially approached by someone claiming to be an HR manager at a digital marketing company. He was offered a work-from-home job writing reviews on Google in exchange for Rs 150 per review. He accepted the offer and was given small tasks and assignments to complete. Subsequently, he was added to a Telegram group where members shared screenshots of their payments, creating a false sense of legitimacy, reports the Times of India.
The tasks evolved from rating and reviewing to investing small amounts starting at Rs 2,000, with the promise of high returns. Once convinced, the doctor was persuaded to engage in share trading by making larger investments for greater returns. Initially, he received small amounts as returns, which reinforced his belief in the scheme’s authenticity. However, as the investment amounts increased, he stopped receiving any returns and ultimately lost Rs 4.9 lakh.
According to the Daily, on April 23, the victim approached the cyber police station in Manesar, and a case was registered on May 2 under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 420 (cheating). Sub-inspector Pramod stated that a case has been filed and an investigation is underway to identify and nab the accused. “Cyber fraud cases have been on the rise, with scammers employing various tactics to dupe unsuspecting victims. It is crucial to remain vigilant and exercise caution when dealing with unknown entities online, especially those offering seemingly lucrative opportunities,” he said.
