Hyderabad: In one of the city’s biggest recent cyber fraud cases, a 52-year-old private employee lost ₹2.36 crore after falling victim to an online trading scam.
According to Rachakonda cybercrime police, the victim was added to a WhatsApp group named Shoonya, run by Sarvjeet Singh Virk and his associate Swetha. Posing as an AI-driven stock trading platform, the group lured members with investment tips, stock recommendations, and IPO advice.
The victim initially invested small amounts and saw fake profits on the platform. Gaining confidence, he gradually invested a total of ₹2.36 crore in IPOs and stocks. But when he tried to withdraw funds, the platform demanded more payments under false pretenses. Eventually, he realised it was a scam and lodged a police complaint, stating that he had received “zero returns.”
In a separate case from Jagtial, cybercriminals tricked a man into clicking a phishing link while posing as Ratnakar Bank officials, cheating him of ₹41,000 under the guise of a credit card limit enhancement.
Cybercrime police have warned the public to be cautious, avoid unverified apps, and never trust suspicious investment platforms or links.
