Panaji: It all began innocently—a simple Facebook friend request from someone named Judith on November 30, 2024. Little did the victim know, this was the first step in a calculated and ruthless cyber fraud scheme. Judith, with her seemingly friendly demeanor, started messaging immediately after the request was accepted. What began as casual exchanges soon escalated into an elaborate deception that would cost the victim their hard-earned savings, family security, and peace of mind.
On December 2, 2024, Judith reached out via WhatsApp, building rapport and trust. By December 6, she dropped the bait—a screenshot of an online trading app showing a hefty profit of ₹94,000. She cheerfully claimed she had struck gold in the stock market and asked, "Don’t you want to make money like this?"
Eager to explore, the victim agreed. Judith wasted no time introducing "Karen," a so-called "expert" contact, who guided them on how to use the trading app, FITT INDIA.apk. Karen explained that the minimum investment was ₹20,000, and the victim, enticed by dreams of easy riches, took the leap.
The initial results were promising. Within a day, the victim earned ₹1,500, which was successfully withdrawn into their bank account. Excited and reassured, they invested another ₹30,000 and withdrew ₹20,000—this time with their spouse joining in. Encouraged by these early successes, they began investing larger amounts, borrowing from personal loans, and pouring everything they could into the app.
Then came the twist. The fraudsters dangled a new carrot—a lottery win in IPO shares. However, there was a catch: they needed to invest more money to secure the profits, or they risked losing everything. By this point, the victim had already invested ₹10 lakh in the app. Panic set in, and under immense pressure, they borrowed further, taking gold loans and even turning to friends for help.
Judith continued to fan the flames of confidence, claiming she had also borrowed money for higher returns. Members of a WhatsApp group, filled with seemingly satisfied investors, assured the victim that the app was legitimate. But little did they know, these were likely planted actors, strategically placed to manipulate and reassure.
The nightmare reached its peak when the victim decided to withdraw their profits. Suddenly, a new hurdle appeared: they were told they needed to pay a "20% profit share" to access their earnings. Desperate to recover their money, they paid ₹8 lakh more. But the demands didn’t stop there—the fraudsters then insisted on ₹40 lakh to release the total amount of ₹1.2 crore that had been "earned."
It was only after a quick online search that the harsh truth was revealed—this was a sophisticated and ongoing cyber fraud scheme. The victim had lost over ₹1 crore, including savings, loans, and gold. Devastated and betrayed, they reported the crime to Goa Cyber Crime, but the emotional and financial scars remain.
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A Call for Awareness
This chilling story serves as a stark reminder of how cybercriminals exploit trust, fear, and greed to devastate lives. The victim's courage in sharing their ordeal highlights the urgent need for public awareness about the dangers of investment fraud.
We urge everyone to be vigilant and to follow these precautions:
1. Never trust unsolicited investment opportunities, no matter how convincing they seem.
2. Verify platforms and contacts with regulatory authorities like SEBI.
3. Avoid borrowing money or investing more than you can afford to lose.
4. Report suspicious activities immediately to the 1930 Cyber Helpline or cybercrime.gov.in.
The dream of quick wealth can quickly turn into a nightmare of unrelenting loss. Don’t let this happen to you.
Rahul Gupta (IPS)
SP, Cyber Crime Cell, Goa Police
