Pune: A doctor from the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) has been swindled out of ₹1.22 crore after being lured into a fake stock market investment scheme.

The 32-year-old doctor, whose identity remains undisclosed, recently filed a complaint with the cyber crime police, shedding light on the increasing prevalence of such scams targeting educated individuals.

The scam began a few days ago when the doctor received a message on his mobile phone from cyber criminals, offering the promise of high returns through stock market investments.

Intrigued by the potential profits, the doctor responded to the message, which led to his inclusion in a group managed by the scammers. As part of their deception, the criminals instructed him to download an app that provided stock market updates and investment advice.

Over time, the criminals convinced the doctor to make significant deposits into various accounts they provided, under the guise of larger returns with increased investment.

The doctor, trusting the authenticity of the scheme, continued to deposit funds, which eventually totaled ₹1 crore 22 lakh 53 thousand. The scammers then falsely claimed that the doctor had earned a staggering profit of ₹10 crore 26 lakh.

When the doctor attempted to withdraw his supposed earnings, the fraudsters imposed a condition: he needed to pay 5% of the profit, amounting to ₹46 lakh 45 thousand, in order to release the frozen funds. Sensing something was amiss, the doctor pressed for clarity, but the criminals responded with vague and evasive answers.

Realizing that he had fallen prey to a scam, the doctor promptly filed a formal complaint with the cyber police station in Pune. The police have since registered a case under charges of fraud and violations of the Information Technology Act. Senior Inspector Suresh Shinde is currently leading the investigation into the matter.