Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 17 April 2025
In yet another alarming case of cyber fraud, a private worker from Azad Nagar, Stewartgunj, has reported losing ₹9.78 lakh to scammers who lured him into investing in a fake online gold mining trading scheme.
According to the written complaint submitted to the Cyber Crime Police Station, the scam began on October 9, 2024, when the victim received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number offering part-time online job opportunities. During the chat, the sender convinced him to speak with another individual, who introduced him to a so-called gold mining trading company promising high returns on investments.
The individual shared a link to a website—https://www.boucheron-worldthebest.com/login and encouraged the victim to register and make a small investment. Initially skeptical, the victim deposited ₹10,500 and was surprised to receive ₹15,989 as cash-back shortly afterward. The prompt and positive return was enough to win his trust.
Encouraged by the quick profit and convinced of the scheme’s legitimacy, the victim proceeded to invest a total of ₹1,00,000 in multiple smaller transactions. However, after making this investment, he did not receive any return. When he followed up, the fraudsters informed him that due to a technical issue, the profits had been delayed, and to “unlock” his returns, he needed to deposit more funds.
In a bid to recover the money already invested, the victim continued to make payments as instructed—one after another. Over a span of just one week, between October 16 and October 22, 2024, he transferred a total of ₹9,78,112 from his bank account.
Despite repeated assurances from the scammers, the promised commissions and profits never arrived. It was only after the continued delay and further demands for money that the victim realised he had fallen prey to a well-organized scam.
The victim then filed a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). He then approached the Cyber Crime Police Station requesting registration of an FIR and legal action against the unidentified individuals behind the fraudulent scheme.
The case adds to the growing list of cyber fraud incidents in the islands, highlighting the urgent need for greater public awareness and stronger enforcement against online financial scams.