Man duped of Rs 25 lakh in online investment scam by girl he befriended on social media

A 33-year-old man was allegedly cheated of Rs 25 lakh in an online investment scam by a woman he befriended on social media and her accomplices, police said on Tuesday.

According to the police, they had received a complaint from the victim on their online portal following which an FIR was registered in the matter.

The complainant, who is a resident of northeast Delhi’s Bhajanpura, said that he met a girl on a social media platform on August 8, they said.

“She told me that she lost her parents in an accident and stayed with her uncle and aunt in Kolkata. She mentioned that she earned money by investing on different online platforms,” the complainant’s FIR read.

Initially, the complainant invested Rs 22,000 and earned Rs 52,000 after two days, which gained his trust, the FIR said.

“I was added in different social media groups and was asked to invest bigger amount for better benefits. I invested Rs 25 lakh in different transactions, but when I tried to withdrew the entire amount, I was denied to do so,” he said.

Subsequently, the girl and other members of the group stopped replying to his messages and calls, the police added.

A police officer said that an FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway in the matter.

“Teams have been formed to investigate and nab the accused,” said the officer.