Nashik (Correspondent): A businessman from Nashik was duped of ₹75.95 lakh after accepting a friend request from a woman on social media. She lured him with promises of high returns through cryptocurrency investments. A case of fraud has been registered at the Cyber Police Station.
According to the complaint filed by the businessman, on October 24, 2024, while at home, he received a friend request from a woman named Ananya Shukla. After accepting the request, they began chatting. The woman claimed she worked in export operations at India Logistics and asked if he was interested in investing in cryptocurrency.
She shared that by investing Indian currency into U.S. dollars through a company named BeTop India, one could earn substantial profits from cryptocurrency. She also sent a link for registration, where the businessman created a user ID, set a password, and uploaded his PAN card.
He was then added to a group chat and communicated with another person—whose number was unfamiliar—regarding the investment. As per their instructions, he invested varying amounts in cryptocurrency through BeTop, converting Indian currency into U.S. dollars.
The investment portal showed profits in his account, prompting him to request withdrawals twice. However, both requests were canceled citing vague reasons, raising suspicion. It was only then that he realized he had been defrauded. A case has been registered under Cyber Police Station, Crime Register Number: 25/2025.
