Mangaluru, Aug 2: A Mangaluru resident has lodged a police complaint after being swindled of ₹22.59 lakh in a months-long online trading scam allegedly promoted through a fake video using Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s name.
The victim stated that the ordeal began on October 15, 2024, when he stumbled upon a Facebook video falsely depicting Sitharaman endorsing an investment platform. Convinced by the video, he clicked the link, registered, and was soon contacted by a caller identifying himself as Anurag Sharma, who instructed him to transfer an initial amount of ₹12,600.
In the weeks that followed, he was approached by multiple individuals—Nikhil Agarwal, Thomas George, Jetting Navya, and Naveen Tiwari—who persuaded him to invest larger sums, luring him with promises of high returns and bonuses. The scammers frequently demanded additional payments, citing taxes, penalties for incorrect IFSC codes, and “forex exchange” adjustments.
At one point, the victim was threatened with legal action for alleged money laundering unless he paid more. Believing the claims, he transferred amounts ranging from ₹28,400 to ₹2 lakh across several accounts, many linked to reputed banks and foreign phone numbers.
By March 2025, the victim had paid a total of ₹22,59,613, only to realise he had been conned when no returns materialised. A case has been registered at the Kankanady Town Police Station and investigations are underway.



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