Mumbai News: Retired Professor Duped Of ₹1.93 Crore In Crypto Scam After Facebook Friendship Turns Fraudulent

Mumbai: A retired professor from a reputed Mumbai college lost nearly ₹2 crore after falling prey to a cryptocurrency investment scam run by a woman he befriended on Facebook. The West Region Cyber Police have registered an FIR against unidentified cyber fraudsters in connection with the incident.

The 62-year-old complainant, a resident of Khar, was targeted after accepting a Facebook friend request from a woman identifying herself as Ayesha. She soon gained his trust by engaging in friendly conversations via WhatsApp and claimed to work for a company called Global Art in Gurugram. Ayesha introduced the professor to cryptocurrency investments, offering seemingly profitable tips.

Initially, the tips appeared genuine, leading the victim to trust her completely. Ayesha then convinced him to invest in Bitcoin and requested his Aadhaar card, email ID, and helped him open an account on Binance. She directed him to deposit funds into multiple bank accounts.

After receiving the money, Ayesha cut off all contact. As the professor grew anxious, another woman named Koyal approached him, promising help in recovering the lost funds. Soon after, a man identifying himself as Prashant Patil called, claiming the professor would receive ₹7.5 lakh in the first phase—but only if he paid ₹42,735 as charges.

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Over time, the professor made several payments under different pretexts related to crypto and Bitcoin transactions, ultimately transferring a total of ₹1.93 crore. When no returns came and communication ceased again, he realised he had been defrauded.

The West Region Cyber Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, including Section 66(c) (identity theft using electronic signature/password), Section 66(d) (cheating using computer resources), and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2), and 61(2). An investigation is underway to trace the accused.