A consulting firm executive based in Gurugram fell victim to a cryptocurrency scam, losing approximately Rs 38 lakh to a woman he met through a matrimonial site, police reported.
The victim, identified as Naman Aggarwal, was enticed into investing in a cryptocurrency called deuncoin by the woman, who claimed to have been residing in London for the past five years. The woman, known as Ridhi Sharma, initiated contact with Aggarwal via jeevansaathi.com in November 2023.
After establishing a rapport with Aggarwal, Sharma persuaded him to invest in deuncoin through a trading account on the website m.deuncoin.vip. Aggarwal complied, investing Rs 10 lakh as per Sharma's instructions.
However, Sharma allegedly deceived Aggarwal into believing that an additional deposit of Rs 10 lakh was required to restore the normal status of the trading account, citing false claims of money laundering.
Aggarwal, under pressure from the purported Deuncoin customer support team, deposited another Rs 10 lakh. However, the demands for additional funds persisted, leading Aggarwal to suspect foul play.
Despite paying a total of Rs 38 lakh, the scammers continued to demand more money, prompting Aggarwal to realize that he had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme.
The consulting firm executive filed a complaint with the cyber crime east police station, leading to the registration of an FIR against the unidentified woman and other fraudsters under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Senior cyber police officers assured that a thorough investigation is underway, and the culprits will be apprehended soon.
The victim condemned the modus operandi employed by the scammers, emphasising their tactic of gaining trust before perpetrating financial fraud. He urged others to remain vigilant against similar scams and exercise caution when engaging in online transactions.
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