Click, invest, regret: Rs 39L lost in two online scams

Chandigarh: In a double blow to digital trust, two residents of Sector 22 were conned out of a staggering Rs 39 lakh in separate that promised high returns but delivered only heartbreak.Gurdeep Kaur's ordeal began with a seemingly harmless Facebook group offering stock tips. With 102 members and five administrators, the group looked legitimate. One admin, Aradhya Mishra, reached out via WhatsApp, offering investment advice. Gurdeep started small — Rs 10,000 in Akai Metals, earning Rs 282 in a day. Encouraged, she invested more, including Rs 2.5 lakh in Hitachi Energy India Ltd and Rs 1 lakh via Karnataka Bank.Her dashboard showed profits soaring to Rs 1.62 crore, but when she tried to withdraw, she was told her account was frozen due to an IPO win worth Rs 2.12 crore. The catch? She had to pay Rs 60 lakh to unlock it. Realizing she'd been duped, Gurdeep filed a complaint with the cyber cell, which is now investigating the matter.In another case, Abhishek Jain was lured by a woman posing as a receptionist for an online firm. She offered paid review tasks, which built trust. Soon, she pitched an investment scheme via Telegram, claiming ties to CBOE Global Markets. Jain invested Rs 16.45 lakh over a month, but his withdrawals failed after initial success. He received just Rs 43,452 in return.Both victims transferred funds via RTGS, IMPS, and Google Pay to multiple accounts. The UT cyber cell has registered cases and is trailing the digital footprints of the fraudsters.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Karwa Chauth 2025 wishes, quotes and Messages !