Cyber fraudsters targeted a senior official of Bank and duped him of ₹97.78 lakh by luring him with fake investment schemes and promising high returns. The accused posed as representatives of a reputed investment advisory firm, gained the victim’s trust, and displayed inflated profits on a fraudulent app. Following the incident, the victim lodged a complaint with the cyber police, and an investigation is currently underway.
According to police, the complainant is a 44-year-old resident of Chembur East, who works as an Assistant Vice President at a leading bank. He told police that on February 1, 2026, he received a WhatsApp link from an unknown number. He was subsequently added to WhatsApp groups named “Kotak Investors Alliance” and “Kotak Securities,” where a woman identifying herself as Anvika Mehra claimed to be the assistant of an investment advisor. When the victim searched the name online, the profile appeared to belong to a senior official of a reputed company, which increased his confidence.
The fraudsters then persuaded the victim to download a mobile application called “Neo Cotpro” via a link. After registering his mobile number and completing KYC details on the app, he was encouraged to invest in share trading. The WhatsApp groups regularly shared screenshots showing other members earning huge profits, creating the impression of a legitimate investment platform.
Initially, the victim invested ₹50,000 and soon saw a 5% return reflected on the app. Encouraged by this, the accused contacted him through multiple phone numbers, advising him to invest in shares of various companies and transfer funds to different bank accounts. Between February 23 and April 15, 2026, the victim transferred a total of ₹97.78 lakh.
To maintain credibility, the fraudsters even returned ₹70,000 to the victim, claiming it as profit. This prompted him to invest further. The app later displayed a total balance of ₹1.67 crore, including profits. However, when the victim attempted to withdraw the amount, the accused stopped responding, leading him to realise he had been cheated.
The victim reported the fraud on April 18, 2026, via the National Cyber Helpline 1930 and later filed a detailed complaint at the cyber police station on April 20. Further investigation into the case is ongoing.