Scam using Trump's name: Over 150 people lose Rs 1 crore in Karnataka

Haveri: More than 150 people across the state, all of whom have cumulatively lost more than one crore rupees to scamsters who duped them using the name of United States of America’s President Donald Trump, have approached the police seeking help in getting their money back.

Cybercriminals have reportedly swindled people in cities ranging from Bengaluru, Tumakuru to Mangaluru and Haveri, by enticing them using an app named after Trump. Several complaints have been lodged across police stations in the state about the activities of these cybercriminals.

The fraudsters circulated a video of Donald Trump created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools on social media portals thereby lulling people into believing that the entire marketing campaign was legitimate.

When victims placed a call to the number accompanying the video, the fraudsters managed to net them in their trap. Promised quick and lucrative returns for their investment, the victims kept making payments to the fraudsters.

Haveri Cybercrime Economics and Narcotics (CEN) inspector Shivashankar R Ganachari said, “Victims who fell into the fraudsters’ trap were promised rich rewards for their investment, besides opportunities to work from home. In Haveri alone, more than 15 such people have been swindled.”

One of the apps that the fraudsters created was called ‘Trump Hotel Rental’, which was forwarded to potential victims. Installation of these apps, they were promised would double their investment.

“We were asked to pay Rs 1,500 to set up our accounts, and asked to write profiles of companies. Completion of each such task was accompanied by an increase in the money we had supposedly earned on our dashboard. In reality, I lost more than Rs 1 lakh,” rued one of the victims.