A 39-year-old woman from Bandra lost nearly ₹23 lakh to an online trading scam that used fake celebrity endorsements to appear legitimate. The victim, Shabnam S., who runs an NGO and lives on Pali Hill Road, filed a complaint with the BKC Cyber Police, stating that she was lured into investing through a platform called FXONET.com after seeing a social media post on April 25.
The link led her to a website that showcased photos of a popular Bollywood actress and singer, giving it a sense of credibility. Shortly after, she received a call from a woman named Shasha, claiming to be from FXONET. Over the next few days, other alleged representatives—Raghav and Sagar—convinced her to invest small amounts that initially showed quick profits. This motivated her to invest more, totaling ₹23.45 lakh by May 6.
Shabnam was able to withdraw only ₹1.63 lakh before the platform began blocking her withdrawal requests. When she contacted their helpline, she was told to deposit another ₹10 lakh to unlock her funds. That’s when she realized she had been conned. The fake platform even displayed her profits as $23,000 to keep her invested.
Senior Inspector Dattaram Chavan confirmed that an FIR has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the cybercrime team is coordinating with banks to trace the fund trail. He urged citizens not to trust links or platforms promoted through unsolicited messages or false celebrity endorsements.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat of online scams masked under the sheen of glamour and quick returns.
