Man from Mangaluru duped of Rs 22 lakh in online investment scam

According to the complainant, the ordeal began on October 15, 2024, when he came across a Facebook video allegedly featuring Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promoting online trading. Trusting the video, he clicked on the link, registered his details, paving way for the scam.

Mangaluru: A man from Mangaluru has filed a complaint after being defrauded of Rs 22,59,613 through an online trading scam that spanned several months.

According to the complainant, the ordeal began on October 15, 2024, when he came across a Facebook video allegedly featuring Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promoting online trading.

Trusting the video, he clicked on the link, registered his details, and soon received a call from a man claiming to be Anurag Sharma, who directed him to transfer Rs 12,600 to a bank account.

Over the next few weeks, he was contacted by others—including individuals identifying themselves as Nikhil Agarwal, Thomas George, Jetting Navya, and Naveen Tiwari—who lured him into investing increasing amounts, promising high returns and a bonus.

The victim transferred money to multiple accounts, often under the pretext of taxes, investment top-ups, or penalties for incorrect IFSC codes. At one point, he was told that Rs 60,000 had been withdrawn and routed through a forex exchange. He was also misled into believing that legal proceedings for money laundering would be initiated unless he paid more.

Transactions ranging from Rs 28,400 to as much as Rs 2 lakh were transferred to the accounts. The scammers also impersonated managers of reputed banks and used foreign numbers to maintain credibility.

By March, the complainant had transferred a total of Rs 22,59,613 across dozens of transactions, with no returns and no refunds, realising he had fallen prey to a fraud. A case has been registered at Kankanady Town Police Station.