Dainik Nation News Portal
DAINIK NATION BUREAU/NEW DELHI
A 61-year-old government official from Shahdara was defrauded of nearly ₹1.2 crore after falling victim to a fake UK-based online shopping platform promising high investment returns. The official, who works as a director, was lured into the scam over 78 days by a fraudulent social media profile.
The scam began in October last year when the official was contacted by a “friend” on social media, who claimed to have been a successful seller on the platform for two years. “She contacted me on October 15 and later shared her WhatsApp number,” the official said.
Encouraged by promises of high returns, he registered as a buyer and soon became a seller. He used his own funds to fulfill orders, with his social media contact acting as a guarantor. The platform initially showed profits of $128,679.2 after he completed 56 orders.
However, when he tried to withdraw his funds, he was told that missed orders had damaged his credit score. To restore it, he was instructed to deposit ₹35 lakh. Desperate, he complied, only to face further delays. The scammers then pressured him to deposit another ₹34.5 lakh to activate his withdrawal. In an attempt to recover his money, he took a loan against his provident fund.
Despite making payments, his funds remained inaccessible, and the platform continued making excuses. Suspecting foul play, he consulted a cousin in the UK, who discovered that the platform was fraudulent and had no connection to the legitimate shopping website it claimed to be.
Realizing he had been scammed, the official filed a police complaint. Authorities are now investigating the case to track down those behind the fraudulent scheme.
