A 38-year-old woman from Mumbai’s Nahur neighbourhood thought she had stumbled into a smart way to make money in the stock market. Instead, in a matter of days, she ended up losing nearly Rs 4 lakh in what police are calling a classic online trading trap dressed up in a modern format.
The scam began not with a suspicious link, but a casual ad. She was pulled into a Telegram group that branded itself as a hub for market tips and trading wisdom. The group looked busy, noisy, and strangely confident. There were mentors, stock charts, trade calls, and pep talks about profits flowing like clockwork. The admins posed as experienced traders who spoke the language of reassurance: “No risks, only returns.” And to make it all feel harmless, they started her journey with amounts so small it felt almost silly to doubt them—Rs 120, Rs 200, even Rs 500.
The trick was simple psychology. The moment she made these tiny payments, the group lit up with screenshots of profits that looked like celebratory receipts. Green arrows, rising numbers, neat columns—visual proof that whispered, “This works.” The group members cheered each other on, tagging mentors and thanking them. It felt like a classroom where everyone was passing.
Then came the nudge to scale. Over three days—December 22 to December 25—she transferred money in multiple instalments. Each time, a new UPI ID or bank account number arrived in her chat box, paired with instructions to “top up the wallet” or “unlock bigger trades.” She kept paying, convinced she was building an investment pile. The mentors told her to think of it as fuel—more in means more out.
When her total crossed Rs 3.8 lakh, the lights dimmed. The profit screenshots stopped. Her withdrawal requests were met with silence. The mentors who once sounded like market veterans suddenly vanished like unfinished drafts. That’s when the math hit her stomach: the money had moved, but nothing had ever been invested.
The police registered an FIR and confirmed that the funds were routed through multiple accounts, most UPI-linked. Officers say this is the scammers’ favourite smokescreen—fragment the payments, multiply the accounts, muddy the trail.
Authorities are now urging users to treat “guaranteed profits” like invisible ink. No broker worth their SEBI licence will collect investment money in personal accounts. Screenshots are not statements. And confidence is not compliance. If you suspect something’s off, call 1930 or file a report on cybercrime.gov.in. Speed is your ally in freezing the bleed.
The market rewards patience, not pressure. And anyone rushing you toward risk-free riches is probably selling a story, not a trade.
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