Mangaluru Resident Falls Victim to ₹46.5 Lakh Online Investment Fraud

          A resident of Mangaluru has lost ₹46.5 lakh to an online investment scam after joining a fraudulent investment group between May and June. The victim reported the incident to the Cybercrime, Economic Offences, and Narcotics wing of the Mangaluru City Police, explaining that their mobile number had been added to a WhatsApp group called ‘Mayfield Trading.’

Mangaluru Resident Falls Victim to ₹46.5 Lakh Online Investment FraudMangaluru Resident Falls Victim to ₹46.5 Lakh Online Investment Fraud

      Enticed by promises of high returns on share investments, the complainant expressed interest in investing. On May 7, a man named Tom Harris contacted the victim, claiming to be the service manager of the investment group, and provided a web link for registration. The complainant subsequently invested ₹46.5 lakh in multiple transactions via RTGS and IMPS. However, when the victim attempted to withdraw the funds, Harris demanded payment for income tax, leading the complainant to feel deceived and report the matter to the police.

Mangaluru Resident Falls Victim to ₹46.5 Lakh Online Investment FraudMangaluru Resident Falls Victim to ₹46.5 Lakh Online Investment Fraud

Additional Cases of Online Fraud
                  In a separate incident, a woman from Udupi fell for a ‘work from home’ scam after subscribing to an offer from an unknown individual. Initially receiving some payment for her work, she was later urged to invest more, resulting in a total loss of ₹1.9 lakh from her and her parents’ bank accounts. After realizing she had been scammed, she approached the Udupi CEN Police, who registered a case.

Similarly, a woman from Kundapur lost ₹2.21 lakh to online fraud after signing up for ‘part-time work’ online. She made phased payments totaling ₹2.21 lakh, expecting higher returns. Once she discovered the deception, she filed a complaint with the Kundapur town police.

These incidents highlight the growing prevalence of online scams and the importance of exercising caution when engaging in investment opportunities or work-from-home offers.