<p>Bengaluru: An engineer and a private firm employee lost Rs 2.28 crore in fraudulent online trading schemes over several months.</p>.<p>The East Cybercrime police registered two separate cases this past week.</p>.<p>The larger loss of Rs 1.40 crore was reported by Ramnath S (name changed), a 45-year-old engineer from Ramamurthy Nagar. He believed he was investing with a genuine firm for nearly 10 months before realising he had been conned.</p>.<p>Ramnath first received a WhatsApp message in December 2024 from a woman named Rani Saha, who claimed she became a millionaire through online investments.</p>.Bengaluru cybercrime tally more than top 10 cities' total.<p>He was later added to a WhatsApp group, where he met Ravi Kumar. During a work trip to the UK, Kumar persuaded him to invest Rs 10,000. After receiving and withdrawing small profits, Ramnath trusted the scheme.</p>.<p>He was then introduced to one “Diwakar from Cambridge University” and continued transferring money. Over 10 months, he paid Rs 1,40,14,197 into their accounts.</p>.<p>Whenever he tried to make a withdrawal, he was asked to pay 5% as service charges. Suspicious, he consulted friends and realised the scam.</p>.<p>The second victim, Sanath P (name changed) from Banaswadi, lost Rs 88.36 lakh between June and September 2025.</p>.<p>Believing he was investing in a SEBI-registered company called "Odmax/Oppenheimer", he downloaded a fake trading app shared by the suspects. The app displayed fabricated gains to keep him engaged.</p>.<p>Sanath also invested Rs 8.40 lakh belonging to his brother-in-law, managing to withdraw only Rs 50,000 once. Multiple failed withdrawal attempts made him suspicious, and he, too, confirmed the fraud after speaking to friends.</p>.<p>Both victims later approached the police.</p>.<p>Investigators are tracing bank accounts and attempting to freeze the funds. Further probe is underway.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: An engineer and a private firm employee lost Rs 2.28 crore in fraudulent online trading schemes over several months.</p>.<p>The East Cybercrime police registered two separate cases this past week.</p>.<p>The larger loss of Rs 1.40 crore was reported by Ramnath S (name changed), a 45-year-old engineer from Ramamurthy Nagar. He believed he was investing with a genuine firm for nearly 10 months before realising he had been conned.</p>.<p>Ramnath first received a WhatsApp message in December 2024 from a woman named Rani Saha, who claimed she became a millionaire through online investments.</p>.Bengaluru cybercrime tally more than top 10 cities' total.<p>He was later added to a WhatsApp group, where he met Ravi Kumar. During a work trip to the UK, Kumar persuaded him to invest Rs 10,000. After receiving and withdrawing small profits, Ramnath trusted the scheme.</p>.<p>He was then introduced to one “Diwakar from Cambridge University” and continued transferring money. Over 10 months, he paid Rs 1,40,14,197 into their accounts.</p>.<p>Whenever he tried to make a withdrawal, he was asked to pay 5% as service charges. Suspicious, he consulted friends and realised the scam.</p>.<p>The second victim, Sanath P (name changed) from Banaswadi, lost Rs 88.36 lakh between June and September 2025.</p>.<p>Believing he was investing in a SEBI-registered company called "Odmax/Oppenheimer", he downloaded a fake trading app shared by the suspects. The app displayed fabricated gains to keep him engaged.</p>.<p>Sanath also invested Rs 8.40 lakh belonging to his brother-in-law, managing to withdraw only Rs 50,000 once. Multiple failed withdrawal attempts made him suspicious, and he, too, confirmed the fraud after speaking to friends.</p>.<p>Both victims later approached the police.</p>.<p>Investigators are tracing bank accounts and attempting to freeze the funds. Further probe is underway.</p>