Retired Lucknow inspector Badri Narayan duped of over ₹85L online
A retired police inspector from Lucknow, Badri Narayan, lost over ₹85 lakh after falling for an online trading scam.
The fraudster, pretending to be a businesswoman named Divya Sharma, reached out via WhatsApp and convinced him to invest with promises of big returns.
She even got personal (discussing family matters and suggesting their families connect through marriage) to win his trust.
Police register cybercrime FIR, probe scam
Despite transferring money in several installments, Narayan only saw fake profits on the platform and never got any real returns. When he tried to follow up, the scammer disappeared.
Police have registered an FIR under cybercrime laws and are investigating what looks like a bigger organized scam targeting people with fake investment offers.
It's a reminder: always double-check before putting your money online.