42-year-old Hyderabad senior manager loses ₹1.07 crore to fake WhatsApp trading app fraud

Summary

A 42-year-old senior manager from Meerpet, Hyderabad, lost over Rs.1 crore to a cyber fraud scheme in late January. The victim was deceived through a WhatsApp group and a fake mobile trading application, where scammers posed as investment experts. The fraudsters, including individuals named Shruti Bahety and Parthiv T. Kilachand, convinced her to invest in block trading and IPO allocations, promising high returns. She made 31 transactions between late January and early March, totaling Rs.1,07,13,266, including Rs.67 lakh from her account and Rs.46 lakh from her father’s account. When she attempted to withdraw her earnings, the scammers imposed fees and blocked her account. The Hyderabad police are investigating the case and have requested the public to be cautious of online trading groups on social media.