Rangareddy man held for cheating Hyderabad resident in Rs. 10.5L online investment scam
Hyderabad: The Cyber Crime Police of Hyderabad arrested Darji Uma Maheshwar, aged 32, from Sadasivapet, Rangareddy District, in connection with an online investment fraud.
Maheshwar was accused of deceiving a 39-year-old victim by promising high returns on investments through a fake application.
According to the victim, a resident of Hyderabad, he received a WhatsApp message on July 1, 2024, from someone named MIA Durand, claiming to be a representative of a company called Saint Louis. The message encouraged the victim to invest in crystal products through a website, promising substantial daily returns.
Trusting the offer, the victim invested ₹10,58,330. However, he later found that the website was blocked, and the contact person became unreachable. Realizing that he had been scammed, the victim reported the incident to the Cyber Crime Police.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under Cr.No: 215/2025, with sections 66 C, 66 D of the IT Act and various sections of the BNS Act. The investigation revealed that the accused had opened multiple current accounts under the names of fake shell companies, using these accounts to facilitate fraudulent transactions. The accused also handed over debit cards, cheque books, and internet banking credentials to accomplices to carry out the illicit financial activities.
During the investigation, the police seized several items, including three shell company cheque books, four shell company stamps, and three shell company passbooks. In addition, they recovered three debit cards, three bar code scanners, and two mobile phones, all of which were used in the commission of the crime.
The investigation team, led by Inspector S. Naresh and comprising SI R. Prasen Reddy, HC Md. Feroz, and PCs Manikanta and Rakesh Sagar, successfully detected the case.
Public Advisory:
Be cautious of unsolicited calls or messages promoting investment opportunities. Scammers often impersonate representatives of reputable companies and use professional language to gain trust. They may show fake profits on websites or apps to appear legitimate. Legitimate companies do not reach out directly to solicit investments. If you fall victim to cybercrime, contact authorities immediately by calling 1930 or visit cybercrime.gov.in.
