Wakad Man Duped of ₹13.89 Lakh in Online Investment Fraud
Victim Lured Through WhatsApp Groups and Investment App; Police Register Case Against Unknown Accused
Pimpri-Chinchwad : A 47-year-old man from Wakad was allegedly cheated of ₹13.89 lakh after being lured by promises of attractive returns on online investments through WhatsApp groups. Wakad police have registered a case against unidentified persons in connection with the fraud.
The complainant, Satish Abhimanyu Pawar (47), a resident of Wakad, approached the police after realising that he had been cheated.
According to the police, the incident took place between August 16 and October 8, 2026. During this period, the complainant was added to a WhatsApp group where information about various investment schemes was shared, encouraging members to invest money for better returns.
He was subsequently sent a link to another WhatsApp group. After joining it, he received a link to download an Android application. Pawar installed the application on his mobile phone and created a profile on the platform.
Following instructions from the alleged fraudsters, he transferred a total of ₹13,89,999 to different bank accounts between September 25 and October 8, 2026.
The fraud came to light when the accused allegedly demanded additional money to increase the returns on his investment. The repeated demand raised Pawar’s suspicions, prompting him to verify the transactions. He subsequently realised that he had been cheated.
Pawar then contacted the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 and lodged a complaint.
Wakad police have registered a case against the unidentified accused and initiated an investigation. Further investigation is underway under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Vitthal Salunkhe.
Police are investigating the WhatsApp groups, the investment application and the bank accounts used to receive the money.
