How Nationwide Matrimonial App Honeytrap lead to ₹15.31-crore RoboForex Cyber Fraud

A nationwide cyber fraud syndicate that allegedly used fake matrimonial profiles to lure victims into bogus forex investments has been busted, with five accused arrested during Operation Mule Hunt 2.0, police said on Monday. Investigators claim the network is linked to cyber frauds worth more than ₹15.31 crore across India.

Victim duped of ₹2.30 crore through fake RoboForex scheme

According to investigators, the accused allegedly created a fake profile under the name "Jigyasha Kapoor" on the matrimonial platform Dilsafar to befriend victims. After building trust, they persuaded them to invest in forex trading through a website called RoboForex, promising high returns.

The victim was initially asked to invest ₹50,000 and was allowed to withdraw early profits to gain confidence. He was then directed through Telegram to transfer larger amounts into multiple bank accounts controlled by the syndicate.

Police said the victim eventually transferred ₹1.47 crore, while the online platform displayed fabricated profits. The fraudsters later claimed the account had been "locked" and demanded another ₹83 lakh, besides additional withdrawal and processing charges.

In total, the victim allegedly lost ₹2.30 crore, with no money ever returned.

Mule bank accounts linked to ₹15.31 crore fraud

The investigation found that the accused allegedly created and supplied mule bank accounts to channel cybercrime proceeds. One account opened in the name of R.P. Chemicals was allegedly used to receive and route fraudulent funds before the credentials were passed through intermediaries and eventually supplied to operatives in Nepal for laundering.

Police said the same bank account surfaced in 31 cyber fraud complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP), with the cumulative fraud amount exceeding ₹15.31 crore.

Five arrested, mobiles and forged documents seized

The arrested accused have been identified as:

• Raj Atulbhai Padsala (Anand) – alleged account holder
• Yagnik Ashokbhai Ramani (Rajkot) – alleged bank account supplier
• Laxman Jayantilal Vaghela (Rajkot) – alleged bank account supplier
• Dr Jaideep Kumar Batuklal Aradesana (Rajkot) – alleged bank account supplier
• Sagar Bhimjibhai Gokani (Rajkot) – alleged bank account provider

Police seized seven mobile phones, forged documents, an Aadhaar card and a PAN card, which are suspected to have been used in operating the fraud network.

Probe continues

Investigators are tracing the money trail, identifying additional members of the syndicate and examining whether more victims across the country were targeted using similar fake investment schemes.