Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru/Udupi

Mangaluru/Udupi, Nov 2: A surge of cyber frauds has rocked coastal Karnataka, with victims in Mangaluru and Udupi districts losing over Rs 1 crore in separate online scams involving fake investment videos, malicious app links, and fraudulent job visa promises.

Police have launched investigations in all three cases amid growing concern over the rising sophistication of cybercrime networks targeting unsuspecting citizens.

In the first case, a 63-year-old man from Mangaluru lost Rs 13.91 lac after being deceived by a fake promotional video featuring union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and author-philanthropist Sudha Murty.

According to a complaint filed at Barke police station, the incident occurred on August 28 when the complainant came across a video on his mobile phone showing the two public figures discussing investment opportunities.

The video contained a link directing viewers to an online trading platform promising lucrative returns. Believing the video to be genuine, the man clicked the link and was later contacted by a woman identifying herself as Nandini Tyagi, who claimed to be a representative offering guidance for secure investments. She convinced him to transfer money in phases under the pretext of trading assistance.

Another person, identifying himself as Vikram Singh, introduced himself via WhatsApp as a financial expert and provided instructions on how to invest. Trusting their assurances, the complainant transferred a total of Rs 13,91,092 to multiple accounts between August 28 and October 22.

When he later asked to withdraw his funds, both the so-called advisors stopped responding. Realising he had been defrauded, the victim contacted the Cyber Crime helpline and later approached Barke police station, seeking help in recovering his money. Police have initiated a probe to trace the culprits and analyse the online trail.

In another incident, a 74-year-old resident of Mangaluru lost Rs 3.83 lac after being tricked into downloading a malicious APK file through a fake service contact number.

The complaint, registered at Mangaluru Rural police station, stated that on October 25 around 10 am, the victim searched on Google for “Motorola Washing Machine Centre Mangaluru” to purchase a washing machine.

A phone number listed online appeared legitimate, and upon calling it, he was sent a link and instructed to download an APK file to complete the purchase process. Shortly after downloading the file, the victim received a series of alerts showing unauthorised withdrawals from two of his bank accounts — Rs 2,35,000 from one and Rs 1,48,000 from another — amounting to Rs 3,83,000 in total.

Police investigations revealed that the fraudsters had gained access to the victim’s banking credentials and personal information through the downloaded file. The complainant has urged law enforcement to take stringent action against the unknown culprits responsible for the theft.

Meanwhile, in Udupi district, a large-scale employment scam came to light when Gangolli police registered a case against two individuals accused of cheating a woman and her acquaintances of Rs 86.7 lac by falsely promising them Australian job visas.

The complainant, Tina Nazareth (43), a resident of Gujjadi village in Kundapura, alleged that the accused, identified as Prakruthi and Elton Rebero, who operate a school in Bengaluru, visited Gangolli in April 2024 and convinced her and her friends that they could arrange job visas for Australia.

Believing their claims, the group transferred funds to them in instalments between April and September 5, 2024, totalling Rs 86,70,000. Tina reportedly paid Rs 34 lac, while her associates — Johnson Fernandes (Rs 8 lac), Leeta Pinto (Rs 6.8 lac), Sophia Pinto (Rs 19.5 lac), and Reena Praveen Noronha (Rs 18 lac) — contributed the remaining amounts. However, when the accused failed to deliver the promised visas or return the money, the victims realised they had been duped.

After repeated attempts to contact the duo proved futile, Tina lodged a police complaint. Gangolli police have booked the accused for cheating and criminal breach of trust under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The three incidents, collectively involving losses exceeding Rs 1 crore, have raised alarms about the growing prevalence of digital frauds in the coastal region.

Police officials have urged the public to exercise caution while engaging with online links, investment platforms, and unknown contacts, particularly those involving financial transactions.

Authorities have also advised citizens to verify information thoroughly before sharing personal or banking details and to report any suspicious online activity immediately to the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the nearest police station.

Police in both districts confirmed that investigations are under way in all three cases, and efforts are being made to trace the accused and recover the defrauded funds.

Officials warned that fraudsters are increasingly using sophisticated methods, including impersonation, deepfake videos, and malware links, to exploit public trust and urged citizens to remain vigilant against digital deception.