ITBP Officer Loses Rs 51 Lakh in Sophisticated Online Trading Scam
A 33-year-old Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officer has been defrauded of Rs 51 lakh in a multi-platform online trading scam that began on WhatsApp and moved to Telegram.
Key Takeaways
- ITBP officer Rajesh Kumar lost Rs 51 lakh over three months.
- Scam initiated by a woman named ‘Isha Desai’ on WhatsApp on August 26, 2025.
- Fraud shifted to Telegram and a fake trading app named ‘GO Markets Global Cs’.
- Money transferred via more than 70 transactions to multiple bank accounts.
- FIR filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act; investigation ongoing.
How the Scam Unfolded
The cyber fraud began on August 26, 2025, when Kumar was contacted on WhatsApp by a woman identifying herself as Isha Desai from Mumbai. She promoted a lucrative investment scheme. To build trust, the conversation was later moved to Telegram.
Desai then instructed Kumar to invest via a share trading application called ‘GO Markets Global Cs’, which he downloaded on September 11. An initial successful withdrawal of Rs 5,000 as profit solidified his confidence in the scheme.
The Massive Financial Loss
Believing the operation was genuine, Kumar proceeded to transfer Rs 51 lakh across more than 70 transactions between September 11 and November 6. The funds were sent to various bank accounts as directed by the accused.
The fraud was exposed when Kumar attempted to withdraw the full ‘profit’ shown in the app. The scammer demanded additional transaction fees, prompting Kumar to realise he had been cheated.
Police Action and Investigation
An FIR has been registered under Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant IT Act provisions. SHO Vijay Rana of the Cyber Crime Police Station stated that banks have been approached to trace the destination accounts. Kumar also filed a formal complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on November 29.
The case highlights the sophisticated methods used by cybercriminals who exploit popular messaging platforms to execute financial fraud.
