Bhopal Residents Lose ₹34.75 Lakh to Cyber Frauds

A series of cyber fraud incidents has been reported in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, resulting in a combined loss of ₹34.75 lakh for three city residents.

The incidents, which occurred separately, involved a fake share-trading app, a fraudulent real estate investment, and a malicious mobile application.

According to police officials, the biggest case involved Rohit Verma, a retired private bank employee, who lost ₹23 lakh after investing in a share-trading application he discovered on Instagram. Verma was lured by promises of high returns and transferred money in multiple instalments. However, when he tried to withdraw his investment and profits, the app operators became unreachable.

In another case, physiotherapist Neeraj Tiwari alleged that his relative, Sanjay Tiwari, convinced him to invest ₹10 lakh in a real estate venture. The suspect returned only ₹2 lakh before stopping repayments, prompting Tiwari to file a cheating complaint.

A third case was reported at Ashoka Garden police station, where bike mechanic Azhar Khan lost ₹1.75 lakh after downloading an APK file received on WhatsApp. The file, disguised as Regional Transport Office (RTO) documents, allegedly infected his phone with malware, enabling fraudsters to make five unauthorised transactions.

The police have registered cases in all three incidents and have advised citizens to avoid unverified investment schemes and refrain from downloading APK files to protect themselves from cyber fraud.

The incidents highlight the growing concern of cyber fraud in the city, with fraudsters using various tactics to dupe unsuspecting residents.

The police are investigating the cases and have urged citizens to be cautious when investing in schemes or downloading files from unknown sources.

In recent times, Bhopal has seen a rise in cyber fraud cases, with many residents losing money to fake investment schemes and malware attacks.

The city's police department has been working to create awareness about cyber fraud and has been advising residents to be vigilant when using the internet and mobile phones.

The latest incidents serve as a reminder for residents to be cautious and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities immediately.

The police are also probing the role of the dark web in the supply of ATM theft tools in Bhopal, which has raised concerns about the growing threat of cybercrime in the city.

Overall, the incidents highlight the need for residents to be aware of the risks of cyber fraud and to take necessary precautions to protect themselves from falling prey to such scams.