Retired Engineer Scammed Out of $130K in Crypto Fraud
Authorities Warn Against Crypto Investment Scams
A retired engineer has fallen victim to a crypto scam, losing $130,000 through WhatsApp groups and fraudulent trading applications.
The Cyberabad cybercrime police filed a complaint on Friday after a 65-year-old engineer from Miyapur reported a loss of 1.28 crore due to an online trading scam.
The victim, previously employed by a government entity, explained that on November 4, he was added to a WhatsApp group named 531 DBS Stock Profit Growth Wealth Group. The group was managed by a person identified as Professor Rajat Verma, with analyst Meena Bhatt also participating. They persuaded him to download a dubious app called DBS from the website ggtkss.cc.
The Scam: Building False Trust
The scammers promised exclusive access to block trades and high-quality IPO allocations, unattainable for regular investors. The victim initially invested Rs 1 lakh and was allowed to withdraw Rs 5,000, gaining his trust to invest more.
Between November 4 and December 5, the victim transferred over 1.2 crore, subscribing to the Capital Small Finance Bank IPO and discussing a share buyback, using various bank accounts and UPI.
Account Blocked: The Final Deception
When the victim attempted to withdraw his funds, he was told to pay a 20% fee, after which his account was blocked, revealing the scam. A case was registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act.
Cybercrime experts urge investors to verify platform regulatory approvals and report suspicious activities promptly.