Ahmedabad man duped of over ₹17 lakh in WhatsApp stock trading scam

The Cyber Crime Police Station, Ahmedabad city, has registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust after a 39-year-old private sector employee alleged that he was defrauded of ₹17.9 lakh through a WhatsApp-based fake stock trading scheme promising unusually high returns.

Pramit Darji, a resident of Vastral, stated that he was added to a WhatsApp group named Stock Market Forum 38 in August 2025 after receiving a message from an unknown number claiming to offer free stock tips and monthly returns of over 200 per cent.

The group, which reportedly had around 120 members, was administered by individuals identifying themselves as Pravin Patel, Malini, Chris Harper, and a group assistant using the name Latika K. The accused allegedly projected themselves as stock market experts and regularly shared trading tips, chart analyses and investment strategies to gain the trust of members.

The FIR states that one of the accused persuaded the complainant to invest through a mobile application named Tencore, claiming that it allowed investments even beyond market hours and offered high returns. After registering on the app using his Aadhaar details, the complainant was directed to transfer money to multiple bank accounts linked to the accused.

Between August 30 and October 16, 2025, the complainant transferred a total of ₹17.9 lakh from his SBI and IDFC First Bank accounts to various accounts. Although he was initially allowed to withdraw a small amount, which strengthened his confidence, further requests for withdrawals were allegedly ignored, and the funds were not returned.

Realising he had been cheated, the complainant contacted the national cybercrime helpline number 1930 on October 30, 2025, and subsequently approached the Cyber Crime Police Station, Ahmedabad. An FIR has now been formally registered. 

Police said the accused used a pre-planned conspiracy involving fake identities, social media platforms and multiple bank accounts to lure victims with false assurances of high returns. Further investigation is underway to trace the accused, analyse bank transactions and identify other possible victims linked to the same WhatsApp group.