‘Facebook friend’ cheats Hyderabad man of Rs 10 lakh; case registered

Hyderabad: A 42-year-old man from Hyderabad’s Langar Houz lost Rs 10.21 lakh after being trapped in an online investment scam by a woman he met on Facebook.

Police said the victim befriended a woman who introduced herself as Sai Preethi, claiming to be from Visakhapatnam and currently living in the UK. The two began chatting regularly and, after gaining his confidence, she told him about a “high-return” trading opportunity.

The man first transferred Rs 50,000, and the trading platform showed small profits, making him believe the scheme was genuine. Between September 1 and October 10, he made several more transfers to different UPI IDs and bank accounts, amounting to Rs 10.21 lakh.

However, when he tried to withdraw USD 14,000 shown as his earnings, the transaction failed. The woman claimed the funds were held due to “tax issues” and asked for more money. When the victim refused, her social media profile disappeared and all contact stopped.

Following his complaint, the Hyderabad Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police

registered a case. Officers said the fraudsters were part of a network that creates fake profiles to build emotional trust and lure victims into bogus trading apps.