Residents urged to stay vigilant as cyber fraudsters drain crores through fake schemes and social media traps. Mangaluru City Police have launched a major awareness campaign to combat the surge in online investment frauds, with victims losing crores to cybercriminals through fake schemes, apps, and social media groups.
The Mangaluru City Police have launched a large-scale awareness campaign to tackle the growing threat of online investment frauds, following a sharp increase in cases where unsuspecting residents have lost substantial sums to cybercriminals.
Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, addressing the issue on Saturday, revealed that recent weeks have seen a worrying spike in reports of online scams that lure victims with promises of quick, high returns. “Poor people are losing their hard-earned money to cyber fraudsters by falling for their promises of high returns,” Mr Reddy stated.
The awareness initiative, according to police officials, focuses on educating residents about the various forms these scams take and the warning signs to look out for. Fraudsters, often operating from outside the region, use sophisticated tactics to deceive victims, including fake websites, WhatsApp and Telegram groups, counterfeit apps, and fraudulent social media advertisements.
“These scams are carefully crafted to appear professional and trustworthy,” said Mr Reddy. “They frequently involve fake celebrity endorsements, doctored screenshots showing inflated profits, and pressure tactics such as urgent investment deadlines.”
Authorities highlighted several red flags commonly associated with these fraudulent schemes, including guaranteed high returns, unrealistic profit promises, unregistered agents or companies, demands for payments via UPI or cryptocurrency, and offers of double or triple returns.
The police also shared details of real-life cases from Mangaluru that illustrate the extent of the problem. In one incident, a resident from Surathkal lost ₹1.57 crore after being duped by a WhatsApp crypto investment group. In another, a resident of KPT was defrauded of ₹37.49 lakh through a fake share market group and bogus tax demands.
Other reported cases include a Panjimogaru resident losing ₹27.01 lakh via an Instagram work-from-home scam, a Kankanady resident losing ₹30.55 lakh through a Facebook share market advertisement, and a Urwa resident being swindled of ₹13.57 lakh by a Telegram group offering crypto investment tips.
The police are urging the public to exercise extreme caution when approached with online investment offers, especially those promising high returns with minimal effort. “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Mr Reddy cautioned.
As part of the campaign, awareness messages are being circulated across social media, local community groups, and public spaces, aiming to equip citizens with the knowledge to spot and avoid such traps. The police have also appealed to victims to come forward and report incidents, assuring full cooperation and assistance.
The authorities reiterated that vigilance and awareness remain the best defence against online fraud, urging residents to verify the legitimacy of investment schemes and seek advice from trusted financial professionals before parting with their money.
