Colaba travel agency owner loses ₹4.92cr to WhatsApp trading scam
A Colaba-based travel agency owner lost a massive ₹4.92crore after falling for an online share trading scam.
He was drawn in by a social media ad and started chatting with someone calling herself Ananya Sharma, who claimed to represent a company that provided investment tips.
She added him to a WhatsApp group containing investment tips, even though he had no real experience in stock trading.
Withdrawals stopped as cyber police investigate
At first, things looked legitimate: he used the recommended app, saw his investments grow, and even managed to withdraw ₹2.97lakh, which boosted his trust so much that he told a 48-year-old staff member who then lost around ₹10lakh.
But when withdrawals suddenly stopped working and Sharma kept asking for more money, he realized something was off.
He has now reported the case to cyber police, who are investigating under cheating and IT laws.