Pune: A retired army colonel (82), residing in Kondhwa, lost Rs 1.01 crore after cybercrooks lured him in investing in foreign exchange (forex) trading for handsome returns between Oct last year and Feb.The victim lodged a complaint with the Pune cyber police on Wednesday.Senior inspector Swapnali Shinde of the Pune cyber police told TOI, “The victim received a message on a messaging application urging him to invest in forex trading and promised high returns.”“The victim read the message and researched about forex trading on the internet. Impressed by the prospects, he contacted the suspects. The suspects then sent him a link to download a cellphone application to trade in foreign currencies,” Shinde said.The victim downloaded the application and began investing in forex, she added.As per the officer, the suspects promised returns of over 100% within a few days. They also persuaded him to invest in high-value foreign currencies for greater profits and assured him of assistance.“The victim eventually requested the fraudsters to trade on his behalf and share the profits. The suspects provided four different bank accounts and asked him to transfer money. As he continued transferring funds, the application displayed substantial profits,” she said.“The victim transferred a total of Rs 1.01 crore. The application showed profits exceeding Rs 2 crore. However, when he attempted to withdraw the money, the suspects did not allow him to do so. He then realised he had been cheated,” Shinde added.
