Navi Mumbai businessman duped of Rs 2.74 crore in gaming scam

The Navi Mumbai police on Thursday said that a 42-year-old businessman was cheated of Rs 2.74 crore by cyber fraudsters after persuading him to join an online gaming platform, reported news agency PTI.

A case in this regard was registered on May 20, said a cyber crime cell official.

As per the complainant who lives in the Koparkhairane area, the fraudsters lured him into depositing Rs 3,24,84,526 in a so-called gaming platform between December 2022 to April 2025, promising him attractive prizes for participating in online games.

The Navi Mumbai businessman was asked to deposit the money in different bank accounts.

When the Navi Mumbai businessman did not win the promised prize money, he realised that something was wrong.

He managed to withdraw Rs 50 lakh but the rest of the money was siphoned off, said the official.

He also got in touch with the gaming application company, but to no avail, the official said, adding that further probe was on.

Cops unearth Rs 155 cr fraud, probe exposes web of fronts and genuine identities

In another case, the police have unearthed a Rs 155 crore fraud where a group of businessmen in Nagpur allegedly registered fake companies using the genuine identities of unsuspecting persons and routed black money through Hawala transactions, leading to the arrest of four individuals.

An official told PTI that the scale of the fraud could be much higher as the accused had prima facie formed 50 to 60 bogus companies to commit suspicious transactions.

Shockingly, the accused used genuine identities of needy people from various states for the criminal activity.

The lid on the fraud, allegedly being conducted since August 2024, was blown after a victim whose identity was used by fraudsters to register a fake company approached the police.

An FIR was registered at Lakadganj police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS).

The complainant Biswajit Roy, originally from West Bengal, used to run a food stall. He migrated to Nagpur following a financial crunch in June 2024 after his father`s demise.

He subsequently found himself trapped in a shocking web of financial crime.

Roy`s friend Suraj alias Pritam Kedia introduced him to `businessmen` Bunty Shahu, Jayesh Shahu, Avinash Shahu, Rishi Lakhani, Anand Harde, Rajesh Shahu, Brijkishore Manihar and Anshul Mishra, said officials.

The accused proposed to invest money in the market in Roy`s name and promised a monthly profit share.

“Desperate for work, Roy agreed and submitted his Aadhaar and PAN cards. He was also made to sign several documents. Later, he was accommodated in a warehouse owned by Rajesh Shahu in the Wathoda area,” an official told PTI.

On August 3, 2024, Avinash Shahu procured a SIM card in Roy`s name but kept it to himself. He cited OTP verification and gave Rs 25,000 to Roy as an initial “profit” share.

The accused used Roy`s identity to register a company as a small-scale industrial unit with a valid GST number. They opened two accounts for this firm, officials added.

“The accused allegedly generated fake invoices for goods without conducting actual transactions. After receiving payments from various businesses, they would withdraw the amount and return it in cash, creating an illusion of legitimate business activity,” the official said, reported PTI.

Between September 9 and December 30, 2024, transactions worth Rs 96.39 crore were made.

(With inputs from PTI)

This article first appeared on Mid Day