Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Jul 28: A 58-year-old woman from Dahisar was cheated of Rs 27.44 lac in a cyber fraud operated through WhatsApp and a fake share trading app. The Mumbai Police have arrested 28-year-old Vinayak Pramodkumar Baranwal of Kasheli, Thane, in connection with the case.

The woman was added to a WhatsApp group named TBVIP168 by a person posing as "Shivani" who claimed to offer stock market tips. She was then directed to install a fraudulent trading app via a suspicious link. The app was cleverly designed to show fake profits to gain her trust.

Lured by the apparent returns, she transferred large sums to various accounts under the pretext of IPO and block deal investments. On June 3 alone, she deposited Rs 4 lakh, of which Rs 2.3 lakh was quickly diverted. In total, she lost Rs 27.44 lakh.

Based on her complaint, cyber police traced the transactions to Baranwal, who had willingly let his bank account be used and had also profited from the fraud. A mobile phone was recovered from his possession.

Investigations revealed that the same bank account was flagged in 106 cyber fraud complaints nationwide, indicating a larger racket.

“This case shows how fraudsters use fake apps and false profits to trap victims,” a cyber unit officer said, urging people to be cautious of unsolicited investment schemes online.