Cyber Fraud Targets 65-Year-Old Woman in Mumbai; ₹67 Lakh Lost, Key Accused Arrested

In yet another alarming case of cybercrime, two elderly sisters from Mumbai were defrauded of ₹67.15 lakh after being lured into a fake share market investment scheme. The incident highlights how cybercriminals are increasingly targeting vulnerable individuals through well-coordinated digital scams.

The 65-year-old complainant, residing in Girgaon with her mother and sister, was added to a WhatsApp group in January. The group shared screenshots of supposed profits from stock investments, creating an illusion of credibility. A woman identified as “Shruti Baheti,” posing as the group admin, gradually gained their trust and encouraged them to begin investing.

The two sisters, convinced by the promises of high returns, began completing formalities for opening a demat account, following instructions from the fraudster. Trusting the legitimacy of the process, they transferred a total of ₹67.15 lakh directly to the cybercriminals through multiple transactions. To sustain the illusion, the fraudsters provided access to virtual accounts that falsely reflected profits amounting to ₹1.88 lakh, according to investigating officials.

Eventually, when the sisters attempted to withdraw ₹50 lakh from what they believed was a legitimate investment platform, the admin demanded additional payments under the pretext of taxes and service charges. Sensing something was wrong, the victims promptly contacted the national cybercrime helpline and filed a formal complaint.

A subsequent police investigation revealed that ₹16 lakh was routed to an account owned by a vegetable trader but controlled by one of the accused, Mohit Bhojraj, a resident of Dahisar. Bhojraj reportedly managed over 20 bank accounts and had shared 19 of them with his co-conspirator, Salid Mohammad Shaikh, who remains absconding. Bhojraj has since been arrested.

It serves as a crucial reminder that, regardless of how credible an investment opportunity seems, thoroughly verifying credentials and promptly reporting any suspicious activity are essential steps to avoid significant financial loss.