Delhi Investor Duped of ₹40 Lakh in Fake IPO Scam; 24-Year-Old Mastermind Arrested in Cyber Racket Bust

In a concerning case of a stock market fraud a retail investor was duped of ₹40 lakh in a fake Initial Public Offering (IPO) scheme. The victim was added to a WhatsApp group named 'Yes Securities' and misled to invest via a fake website. The accused, a 24-year-old Vishnu Kant Sharma had moved  to Jaipur for studies and later turned to cybercrime. Efforts are underway to trace other members of the syndicate. In recent times a number of people have been lured by scammers by building trust with fake profits.

In April, a 37-year-old private sector employee from Asif Nagar, Hyderabad, lost Rs 2.8 crore after falling victim to a fake Initial Public Offering (IPO) scheme. The scam reportedly began when the victim clicked on a Facebook advertisement that promised early access to upcoming IPOs. The ad redirected him to a fraudulent website operated by scammers, who then added him to a WhatsApp group where regular discussions about IPO investments were staged to build credibility. One of the fraudsters, posing as a woman named “Priya," gained the victim’s trust and persuaded him to begin investing through a fake app called ASKMIN. Between March 7 and April 21, 2025, the victim made multiple deposits into the app.

To reinforce the illusion of legitimacy, the scammers initially transferred Rs 4.9 lakh into the victim’s account as so-called profits. Encouraged by this, the victim continued investing larger sums. However, when he eventually attempted to withdraw his funds, the fraudsters demanded a 15% processing fee. They even displayed a fake account balance of Rs 32.3 crore within the app to further mislead him. As the withdrawal was repeatedly delayed and additional payments were demanded, the victim realized he had been defrauded and approached the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police. A case was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, including charges of cheating, forgery, and running an organized crime syndicate.