Cyber Fraud: 70-Year-Old CA Duped of Rs 21 Crore in Online Investment Scam
In December 2025, Vijayvargiya received a WhatsApp message from a woman identifying herself as Divya Singh. She lured him with claims of multiplying his wealth in a short time through investments in online digital assets. After a few days of conversation, she sent him a link to an investment portal where he created an account. Initially, he was asked to invest a small amount. The portal displayed continuous profits, and he was even allowed to make a minor withdrawal, which completely won his trust.
As his confidence grew, the investment amounts increased significantly. Between December 2025 and June 2026, Vijayvargiya transferred a staggering Rs 21,05,92,000 through RTGS and other methods into various bank accounts. The deception unraveled when he attempted to withdraw his principal amount and supposed profits. The fraudsters began demanding extra money under various pretexts, including taxes, security deposits, and risk margins. The woman even tricked him into paying more by falsely claiming she would deposit half the required amount herself.
When the demands for new payments persisted without any withdrawals being processed, Vijayvargiya grew suspicious. After consulting with acquaintances, he realized he was the target of an interstate cyber fraud gang and lodged a complaint with the State Cyber Cell.
According to DSP Sanjeev Nayan Sharma, the defrauded money was transferred to bank accounts across several states, with a majority located in South India. Over 100 transactions were made from the victim's four accounts to 76 different bank accounts. The investigation is actively underway, and authorities have managed to freeze approximately Rs 1.75 crore through the 1930 cyber helpline. Police teams will soon be dispatched to track down the account holders.
