Vadodara: A resident of Atladara, Pratima Deve, fell victim to a cyber fraud, losing ₹32.70 lakh after being lured into a fake stock trading scheme through a social media advertisement. On March 21, Pratima came across an advertisement promoting investment opportunities in the stock market. Upon clicking the ad, she was added to a WhatsApp group that included multiple contact numbers and was later introduced to another group called "Apollo Exclusive Service VIP 205."
According to Pratima's complaint to the police, she was provided with a mobile number for trading guidance. She was then instructed to download an app named "Apollo Areth" and create a user ID and password. Initially, her investments appeared legitimate, with the app displaying her growing account balance. When she withdrew ₹75,000 successfully, it reinforced her trust in the platform.
The app eventually showed her account balance as a staggering ₹7.86 crore. However, when she attempted to withdraw this amount, she was informed that a 10% tax, amounting to ₹67 lakh, needed to be paid upfront. Unable to arrange the entire sum, Pratima was advised to transfer whatever funds she had. She ended up paying a total of ₹33.50 lakh, only to receive a mere ₹80,000 in return, while ₹32.70 lakh remained unpaid. Realizing the scam, Pratima approached the Cyber Cell for help.
Pratima further revealed that the app initially displayed real-time stock market values, making it appear authentic. She was also enticed by an offer to participate in a "profit contest" within the app, promising ₹5,000 weekly for voting in the contest. When the first payment was credited to her account, she became fully convinced of the app's legitimacy.
The Cyber Cell has initiated an investigation into the matter. The authorities have warned the public to remain cautious of unsolicited investment opportunities on social media and avoid sharing personal and financial information on unverified platforms.
