Hyderabad woman duped of Rs 3.8 L in fake online investment; Two arrested

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have arrested two persons for allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 3.79 lakh by luring her into a fake online investment scheme promising high returns.

Victim lured via Facebook Advertisement

According to the police, the victim, a 52-year-old woman from Troopbazaar, Hyderabad, came across a Facebook advertisement promoting “Block Trading”.

On clicking the link, she was redirected to a WhatsApp group named K-2 Nuvama Wealth Group operated by fraudsters posing as Mr. Ashish Kehair and his assistant Kangana Sharma.

Fake profits to build trust

Police said Kangana Sharma repeatedly called and messaged the woman, convincing her that it was a secure and profitable trading service. In May 2025, the victim initially invested Rs 10,000 and was allowed to withdraw a small profit. This early withdrawal built her trust in the platform.

Multiple investments before realising fraud

Encouraged by the initial return, the woman continued to invest larger amounts over time. However, when she attempted to withdraw a significant portion of her funds, she was told to pay a 30 percent “profit tax” for processing the withdrawal.

When she refused to pay additional money, she realised she had been cheated and approached the Cyber Crime Police.

Arrest of accused from Karimnagar and Nirmal

Police arrested L. Anand Reddy from Karimnagar and E. Laxma Reddy from Nirmal. Investigations revealed that Laxma Reddy was the account holder of the fraudulent bank account used in the scam, while Anand Reddy orchestrated the scheme by procuring multiple mule accounts from locals and supplying them to other absconding accused.

Modus operandi of the fraudsters

Explaining the modus operandi, police said fraudsters contacted victims via phone calls, WhatsApp, and social media platforms.

They posed as representatives of reputable companies, used professional language, and showed fake profits on fraudulent websites and apps to build credibility. Once victims transferred funds, they were blocked from further communication.

Property seized

During the arrests, police seized SIM cards (4) and two mobile phones from the possession of the accused.

Police advisory to the public

Cyber Crime Police have urged the public to stay vigilant against such online frauds.

People should avoid responding to unsolicited investment offers received through calls or social media, and never trust schemes guaranteeing unusually high returns.

They advised that genuine companies do not directly approach individuals to invest or demand payments to process withdrawals.

Helpline

Victims of cybercrime can seek immediate help by dialling 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in.