Pune: In a string of recent fraud cases, multiple victims in Pune’s Rahatni, Kalewadi, and Tathawade areas have lost large sums of money after being tricked by con artists.

The fraudsters targeted individuals through fake calls and online platforms, promising either to resolve legal issues or to offer lucrative returns from investments.

In Rahatni, an unidentified group of fraudsters pretended to be investigators from the Mumbai Cyber Cell and convinced a woman that she was under investigation for money laundering.

Under the pretext of clearing her name, they persuaded her to hand over Rs 20 lakh, which was later revealed to be part of a well-orchestrated scam. She filed a complaint with Wakad Police, and the case is currently under investigation.

In another incident in Kalewadi, Santosh Pralhad Shitre was swindled out of Rs 17.65 lakh after receiving a WhatsApp voice call from a scammer promising high profits in the stock market.

The scammer directed Shitre to download an app and deposit funds into various accounts. Despite transferring large sums, Shitre received no returns, and the fraudster vanished. A complaint has been registered, and the police are on the hunt for the accused.

In Tathawade, a woman fell victim to a stock market scam in which she was lured into investing Rs 12.67 lakh with promises of hefty profits.

The scammers added her to a WhatsApp group where they discussed investment opportunities, ultimately convincing her to transfer the funds, which they later stole. She too filed a police complaint, and an investigation is underway.