Lucknow: A fresh case of cyber fraud in the name of online trading has surfaced in Lucknow, where a man was duped of ₹13.64 lakh after being lured with promises of massive returns. The fraudsters initially showed profits of up to ₹78 lakh on a mobile app to gain the victim’s trust, but blocked all transactions when he attempted to withdraw his money. The scam came to light only after the accused demanded additional payments under the pretext of taxes.
Facebook Friendship Opened the Door to a Costly Trap
The incident took place in the Ashiyana area of the city. According to the victim, Siddharth Kumar Talukdar, he came into contact with a person named Siddharth Chatterjee on Facebook on January 27. The accused introduced himself as a financial advisor and promised high returns on investments without any service charges. Over time, he built credibility through continuous communication and convincing claims.
Soon after, the victim was added to a WhatsApp group where several members appeared to share success stories related to trading. The group operated under names such as “VIPson One Service 802” and “TCS CapitalG,” creating an impression of legitimacy and professionalism. A woman identified as Anika Sharma was presented as an official who would guide the investment process.
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WhatsApp Groups and Fake Experts Built the Illusion
The victim was then asked to download a mobile application named “TCG Plus” from the Google Play Store. Through this app, he began investing money. Initially, small profits were displayed, which strengthened his confidence in the platform. Gradually, between February 19 and March 7, he transferred a total of ₹13.64 lakh from his Axis Bank and HDFC Bank accounts in multiple transactions.
Within the app, the invested amount appeared to grow rapidly, eventually showing a balance of nearly ₹78 lakh. Convinced by the apparent gains, the victim decided to withdraw his original investment. However, at this stage, the system blocked the transaction, raising suspicion.
Tax Demand Exposed the Fraud Game
The fraudsters then introduced a new condition, claiming that to withdraw the funds, the victim had to pay approximately ₹13.19 lakh as income tax and GST. They insisted that this tax amount could not be deducted directly from the account and had to be paid separately. It was at this point that the victim realized he had been trapped in a scam and refused to make any further payments.
Following this, the victim approached the cyber cell and the local police station to file a complaint. A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the IT Act, and an investigation is currently underway. Authorities are analyzing bank transactions, the mobile application, and WhatsApp communications to trace the accused.
The case once again highlights how cybercriminals are exploiting social media platforms and digital tools to trap unsuspecting individuals. In such scams, victims are often lured with promises of unusually high returns and are gradually drawn into fake platforms where initial gains are shown to build trust before extracting large sums of money.
Cybersecurity experts warn that trusting unknown individuals online and investing through unverified apps or links remains one of the biggest mistakes in such cases. They emphasize the importance of verifying the authenticity of any investment platform before transferring funds.
Police officials have stated that efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the accused using digital evidence. Citizens have also been advised to remain cautious of unsolicited investment offers on social media and to report any suspicious activity immediately.