A Mangaluru resident has fallen victim to an online scam, losing ₹13,57,973 after being lured into a fraudulent currency trading scheme.
In March, while browsing the internet for herbal products, the complainant stumbled upon a website named “CHAT IB,” which linked to a Telegram handle under the username @Saanvi070. When he initiated a conversation, a person claiming to be “Saanvi Shetty” from Dubai responded.
The discussion initially revolved around herbal items, but soon shifted when she promised to talk more during a future visit to Bengaluru. Later, she introduced the idea of earning money through currency trading and sent him a registration link via Telegram.
Following her guidance, the complainant entered his email and signed up on the trading platform. He was first asked to transfer ₹21,250 to a bank account shared through Telegram. After doing so, he sent proof of payment via WhatsApp to the number 8235446394.
Shortly afterward, he was able to withdraw ₹2,550 as returns from his initial investment, gaining confidence in the scheme. He was then added to a Telegram group where further instructions followed.
Between March 26 and April 28, he transferred funds through NEFT and RTGS to multiple accounts as directed by unknown individuals associated with the group. Eventually, he realized that he had been defrauded of over ₹13.5 lakh under the pretense of online forex trading.
A formal complaint has now been lodged at the Mangaluru CEN police station.
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