A India's Mumbai investment scam allegedly cost a 58-year-old retired IT professional ₹93.54 lakh after a Facebook advertisement led her into WhatsApp groups promoting share and IPO investments.
According to an FIR cited by local media, Jyoti Kannan Naidu encountered a share-trading advertisement on Facebook on July 9, 2026. She was subsequently added to a WhatsApp group called “C775-HDFC Securities Investor Growth Academy,” which reportedly had around 200 members.
People using the names Nisha Verma, Unmesh Sharma and Pooja Tripathi allegedly provided investment guidance. Naidu was later directed to download an app called HSL PRO, which reportedly later displayed the name HSL CAP.
Naidu allegedly transferred ₹98.54 lakh through IMPS, RTGS and NEFT to multiple bank accounts provided through a customer-support WhatsApp group. On August 10, she received ₹5 lakh in two payments, which she believed were investment profits.
By September 22, the app allegedly displayed investments and profits totaling ₹10.77 crore. When Naidu tried to withdraw the funds, she was allegedly asked to pay another ₹29.53 lakh as commission.
Naidu contacted India's cybercrime helpline 1930 on September 24 and filed a complaint. East Cyber Police registered a case and are reportedly investigating the bank beneficiaries, WhatsApp accounts, app users and other people allegedly involved.
Investors should independently verify trading platforms and avoid transferring investment funds to bank accounts supplied through social-media or messaging groups. Follow BrokersView for more investment fraud cases, broker risk alerts and regulatory developments.