Hyderabad: How a woman used FB, Telegram to entice doctor to pump Rs 14.61 crore into fake trading scheme

Hyderabad: A doctor from Hyderabad lost Rs 14.61 crore after being lured into a fake online trading scheme by cyber criminals posing as a woman on social media.

This is one of the largest cyber investment frauds ever reported in Telangana.

The case was registered by the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) following a complaint by the victim, a resident of Prem Nagar, Erragadda.

Approach through Facebook, shift to Telegram

According to investigators, the fraud began on August 27, when a woman identifying herself as Monica Madhavan contacted the doctor through Facebook Messenger.

She claimed to be a victim of marital cheating and said her divorce case was still pending. After gaining his sympathy through repeated conversations, she convinced the doctor to continue communication on Telegram.

False claims of high trading profits

During the chats, the woman claimed that she had over five years of experience in share trading and was earning Rs 4 to Rs 5 lakh daily through CMC Markets. She later sent a website link and persuaded the doctor to register for online trading on the platform.

On September 30, she convinced him to invest an initial amount of Rs 30 lakh. Soon after, the trading dashboard showed a virtual profit of ₹8.6 lakh, giving the impression that the investment was genuine.

Gradual escalation to multi-crore investment

Using the initial “profits” to strengthen the deception, the fraudster pressured the doctor to invest large sums, suggesting an investment of Rs 10 crore or more. To build further trust, she even facilitated a small withdrawal of Rs 85,000 from the account.

Convinced of the platform’s authenticity, the doctor took bank loans and borrowed from friends, ultimately investing nearly Rs 14 crore in multiple installments. At one stage, his trading account displayed a balance of nearly Rs 34 crore.

Fake tax demand raises suspicion

Trouble began when the doctor attempted to withdraw the displayed amount. The fraudsters demanded Rs 7.5 crore as tax for releasing the funds. The woman later claimed that she would pay 50% of the tax as “UST”, asking the doctor to arrange the remaining Rs 3.75 crore.

When documents sent by the so-called CMC representatives appeared irregular and suspicious, the victim began to doubt the authenticity of the operation. Upon confronting the woman, she ceased all communication immediately.

Complaint and Police Action

Realising that he had been cheated of crores, the doctor lodged a complaint with the TGCSB. Based on the complaint, a case was registered on Thursday, and a detailed investigation has been launched to trace the money trail and identify the accused.

Officials said the case is being investigated across multiple bank accounts and digital payment channels, and interstate cybercrime links are also being examined.

Public Advisory issued

Cybercrime officials have warned the public against:

Falling for guaranteed high-return online investment schemes.

Trusting unknown contacts on Facebook, Telegram, or WhatsApp.

Investing through unverified and unregulated trading platforms.

Citizens are advised to invest only through SEBI-authorised platforms and immediately report suspicious activity to cybercrime authorities.