Hyderabad Trading App Scam: ₹21L Dupes via Fake Ventura Platforms
HYDERABAD: Cybercrime police have received multiple complaints from Hyderabad residents who were allegedly cheated of more than ₹21 lakh through fake online trading and investment schemes operated via WhatsApp groups and fraudulent mobile applications.
In separate complaints lodged on January 18 and 19, 2026, three victims told police they were induced to invest money on the promise of high returns through platforms linked to “Ventura” branding, but were later denied withdrawals and asked to pay additional amounts.
Woman loses ₹3.24 lakh in trading app fraud
Vaitla Madhavi, 46, a resident of SR Nagar, told police she was added to WhatsApp groups named AlphaEdge One-on-One [1109] and Transformation Path444 in December 2025. Members of the groups claimed to provide stock trading guidance and persuaded her to download an application named Ventura Primary Trading Account.
She initially invested ₹5,000 and was allowed to withdraw a small profit of ₹645, which led her to believe the platform was genuine. Madhavi later transferred a total of ₹3,25,024.60 through multiple bank and UPI transactions. The application showed her investment growing to ₹9,83,945.74, but withdrawals were blocked.
“When I tried to withdraw the amount, they asked me to pay another ₹1,44,925.55. That is when I realised I had been cheated,” she stated in her complaint. Her net loss was ₹3,24,379.60. An NCRP acknowledgement was generated, and details of bank accounts and phone numbers allegedly used by the fraudsters were shared with police.
KPHB tech professional, wife cheated of ₹13.98 lakh
In a more elaborate case, K R Chakravarthy, 35, a private employee from KPHB, alleged that he and his wife were cheated of ₹13,98,313 through a fake trading ecosystem involving WhatsApp groups, a mobile application named VentSec Pro and a website.
Chakravarthy said he was added to a WhatsApp group called Ventura Market Forum 818 in November 2025, which promised returns of 250–300%. The group projected itself as being led by “Prof Hemant Majethia” and coordinated by a woman identifying herself as Vritika Anand, who used multiple mobile numbers.
He was later added to smaller “VIP” WhatsApp groups and asked to transfer funds to different bank accounts in the names of business entities. The application showed inflated profits and repeatedly pushed him and his wife to subscribe to IPOs, including Gujarat Kidney and Super Specialty Ltd and Modern Diagnostic & Research Centre Ltd.
Despite showing virtual profits of over ₹75 lakh, withdrawals were denied on the grounds of lock-in periods and commissions. “They finally demanded a 20% commission to release funds and then stopped responding,” Chakravarthy said. He told police that he had invested borrowed money, including a personal loan of ₹9 lakh.
Driver cheated of ₹4 lakh through fake trading website
Mohammed Azam, 37, a driver from Kamatipura, complained that he lost ₹4,00,547 after being added to a WhatsApp group named Dream Hustle Namaste 2 in November 2025. He was directed to invest through a website and trading link associated with VentSec Pro.
Azam told police that the website showed his funds increasing after each transfer, convincing him to invest more. Later, his account was shown as “frozen” with a balance of ₹9,15,938, and he was asked to pay another ₹1 lakh to release the amount. “That is when I realised it was a trap and stopped transferring money,” he said.
Cybercrime police said the complaints were registered and bank accounts, mobile numbers, WhatsApp groups, applications and domains mentioned by the victims were under verification. Victims were advised to preserve transaction records and digital communication for further investigation.
