Hubballi/Davanagere
Two major cyber fraud cases have surfaced in Karnataka, with victims from Hubballi and Davanagere losing a combined total of over ₹1.5 crore to online scammers.
In Hubballi, Abraham J. fell prey to a cryptocurrency investment scam and lost ₹1.30 crore. The victim was contacted on Facebook by a woman identifying herself as Diya Khanna, who enticed him with promises of high profits through crypto trading. She shared a link to a website and guided him through the registration process. Encouraged by early signs of profit displayed on the fake site, Abraham continued investing larger sums. However, when he attempted to withdraw his funds, he found that the portal was inaccessible and realized he had been conned. A case has been filed at the CEN police station, and an investigation is in progress to trace the culprits behind the online scam.
In another incident, a 35-year-old woman from Davanagere was cheated of ₹25.93 lakh by a fraudster named Madhu, a resident of Mandya. The accused befriended the victim through a matrimony website, earning her trust before promising to secure railway jobs for her brothers. Believing his assurances, she transferred the money in multiple installments to his bank account. After Madhu failed to deliver on his promises and stopped responding, the woman lodged a complaint with the CEN police.
Both cases highlight the growing sophistication of cybercrimes targeting unsuspecting individuals through emotional manipulation and false promises. Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of online investment or job offers before sharing personal or financial information.