Cyber scammers hit Punjab hard, Rs 30cr gone in 4 months

Mohali: Cyber fraudsters duped people of more than Rs 30.1 crore in Punjab during the past four months, with police registering 13 major cases involving fake investment schemes, visa scams, bogus job offers, property frauds, loan-related cheating and honey traps.Based on complaints received, FIRs have been registered at the cyber crime police station and the state cyber crime police station in Mohali.The biggest case involved Ludhiana businessman Jagdeep Singhal, who was allegedly cheated of Rs 19.8 crore after being lured into investing in a fake cryptocurrency trading scheme. Police said the accused contacted him through social media and persuaded him to invest through a fraudulent trading platform promising high returns. Investigators found the money was routed through 75 fake bank accounts spread across 15 banks.In another major case, Hoshiarpur resident Taranjit Singh Bhalla allegedly lost Rs 3.6 crore after being induced to invest in a company called "Atalia". The accused allegedly used forged documents bearing the names of SEBI and RBI and promised returns of 3% per month. When the victim sought his money back, he was allegedly threatened.Police have also reported a rise in honey-trap and social media-linked frauds. In one case, a young man was allegedly extorted of Rs 4.5 lakh after fraudsters posing as a woman on Instagram threatened to circulate an objectionable video. In another, a woman lost Rs 70,000 after investing through a link sent on Instagram.Fraudsters also targeted job seekers by offering fake railway jobs and overseas employment opportunities. Several victims were duped of lakhs of rupees after being promised work visas for countries such as Canada, Australia and Georgia.A Kharar couple allegedly cheated six people of nearly Rs 1.5 crore by advertising a bungalow on social media and collecting advance payments for a property that was not registered in their name.Police urged people to verify investment, employment and immigration offers before parting with money. "Greed, haste and unverified online offers are among the most powerful tools used by cyber fraudsters. Awareness and caution remain the best defence," an official said.TRICKS OF THE FRAUDBungalow that was never for sale | A couple from Kharar allegedly cheated six individuals of nearly Rs 1.5 crore by advertising a bungalow for sale on social media and collecting advance payments. However, the property was later found to registered in the name of another person.Fake trading app | Four people were defrauded of Rs 27.9 lakh through a fake online trading platform called ‘HSBS Capital'. The fraudsters initially showed profits to gain the victims' trust, but later blocked access to their funds and disappeared.Overseas employment | Several victims were also cheated under the pretext of securing overseas employment. Fraudsters collected lakhs of rupees by promising work visas for countries such as Georgia and Australia. In another case, several people collectively lost around Rs 10 lakh after being promised Canadian work visas.