An Assistant Bank Manager fell prey to an online investment scam, losing a whopping Rs 21 lakh after being convinced by fraudsters to invest for guaranteed profits in the online trading market.
As reported by The Times of India, Nishi Verma, the assistant bank manager in question, works at the Union Bank of India’s Sitapur district branch. Verma was on official leave when the incident occurred. The woman was reportedly looking to start investing in online trading markets and subsequently got added to a group on Facebook by the scammers on December 1, 2023.
“After joining, the group members shared their success stories, and the admin lured her promising VIP services and guaranteed profits in online trading, making her join more social media groups and opening an account,” Dileep Verma, her husband, was quoted as saying by TOI.
After this, the woman got caught up in the scam, and before she understood what was about to transpire, the scammers convinced her to invest Rs 21 lakh and five thousand between December 1, 2023, to January 2024.
Her husband also mentioned that she had to connect her bank account before beginning the investments. This raised some doubt in her mind, making her skeptical about joining the mentioned group. However, the scammers ultimately managed to trick her successfully.
Now, a complaint has been filed at City Kotwali police station, and an FIR under IPC section 420 (cheating and dishonestly) and 66-D of IT Act had been registered.
Shlok Kumar, SSP Bulandshahar, speaking on the matter, said, “In case of any suspicious message from an unknown number, it is best to block and report that user to the police.”
How To Be Safe?
Please be aware that genuine individuals won’t contact you to invest on Facebook or any social media platform, particularly when promising unrealistic returns on investment.
Additionally, if someone contacts you offering jobs or investment opportunities with minimal effort on your part, be cautious, as they could be fraudsters attempting to extract money from you.
Another crucial point to remember is to never share your personal information, national identification cards, or financial details with anyone, as these can be misused in identity theft and manipulation of others.
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