Pune Witnesses Surge in Cyber Frauds, Reporting Losses Over ₹2.14 Crore in a Single Day
Pune: The city police logged a staggering ₹2.14 crore in cyber losses on Wednesday. In one case, a 75-year-old resident of Kharadi was duped of ₹1.49 crore between July and October 2025. According to police, the victim was added to a WhatsApp group allegedly operated by a well-organised share market trading syndicate. The fraudsters projected themselves as investment experts and promised discounted share purchases, assured Initial Public Offering (IPO) allotments, and unusually high returns.
After gradually building trust through fabricated profit screenshots and regular communication, the accused convinced the senior citizen to transfer ₹1,49,33,152 in multiple transactions. Once the money was credited, the fraudsters severed contact, and the WhatsApp group became inactive, prompting the victim to approach the police.
In another case, a 66-year-old resident of Dhanori fell prey to what investigators describe as a “digital arrest” scam. The fraudsters allegedly impersonated officers from the Mumbai Crime Branch and accused the victim of involvement in a fictitious money laundering case. He was told that his bank accounts were under scrutiny and that he could face immediate arrest.
Under psychological pressure and fear of legal action, the victim was coerced into transferring ₹26.10 lakh to accounts specified by the accused.
Meanwhile, a technical breach was reported from Kothrud, where a 50-year-old man lost ₹4.73 lakh after being tricked into downloading a malicious (Android Package Kit) APK file. The fraudsters contacted him on the pretext of processing a new credit card and instructed him to install a file sent via a link. Soon after the installation, unauthorised transactions were carried out from his bank account, indicating remote access to his device.
In another case, a 52-year-old resident of Sinhagad Road was cheated of ₹26.37 lakh after being promised lucrative returns on online share investments. Similarly, a 42-year-old man lodged a complaint at Nanded city police station after losing ₹8.51 lakh in a comparable stock market fraud, where fraudsters lured him through online platforms and manipulated him into making repeated transfers.
Police said that in most cases, the accused used multiple mule bank accounts, encrypted messaging platforms, and fake identities to conceal their digital footprints.
“We encourage citizens to verify investment platforms independently and immediately report suspicious transactions to the cyber helpline. Further investigation into all the cases is underway,” said Vivek Masal, deputy commissioner of police (Economic Offences Wing and cyber crime).
