Patna: A 55-year-old resident of Patna was allegedly duped of Rs 1.19 crore by cyber fraudsters who lured him into investing through a fake online trading platform promising high returns from shares, gold and foreign currency trading.The victim, a resident of Jagdeo Path under Rupaspur police station area, came in contact with the fraudsters while exploring online trading opportunities. They allegedly shared a link to a fake trading website and persuaded him to create an account and invest money.Initially, the platform displayed substantial profits on his investments, convincing him that the returns were genuine. Encouraged by the apparent gains and repeated assurances from the fraudsters, he continued to invest larger amounts.According to cyber police, the victim transferred a total of Rs 1.19 crore through RTGS and other online payment channels over nearly three months. However, when he attempted to withdraw both the principal amount and the profits shown on the platform, no money was credited to his account.Repeated attempts to contact the operators of the platform failed, following which he realised he had fallen victim to a cyberfraud and approached the police.During the investigation, cyber police found that the trading website was fraudulent. A case was registered on Friday, and investigators have begun examining the transaction trail to identify the bank accounts and channels used to route the money.Patna cyber DSP Sangeeta said the website had been found to be completely fake. “A case has been registered and investigation is underway. Police are working to identify those operating the platform and trace the network involved in the fraud. Investigators are also scrutinising financial transactions to determine where the victim’s money was ultimately transferred,” she said.Police said such scams often begin with unsolicited messages, phone calls or social media contacts promising unusually high returns from investments in stocks, foreign exchange, gold or other assets. Fraudsters typically show small profits on fake platforms to gain the victim’s confidence before persuading them to invest larger sums.In many cases, victims attempting to withdraw money are asked to pay additional amounts in the name of taxes, processing charges, security deposits or other fees. The fraud continues until they realise that the profits displayed on the platform were fictitious.
