The Cyber Crime Unit of Hyderabad Police arrested a 41-year-old man in connection with a stock trading scam in which a complainant was duped of over ₹2 crore. The accused, identified as Pakeer Srinivas Reddy, a resident of Tilaknagar, Hyderabad, is reportedly involved in five similar cases across India, said the police. The case has been registered under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, and multiple Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 111(2)(b), 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2). According to police, the complainant was contacted by a person identifying herself as ‘Tina Mittal’ from ‘W33Barclays’, who persuaded them to join a WhatsApp group offering stock market tips. Convinced by the fraudulent investment pitch, the complainant invested ₹2.01 crore through a trading application. “Initially, the platform allowed small withdrawals, building trust. However, when the complainant attempted to withdraw the full amount, they were told to pay an additional 5% of the total investment and profits. Realising it was a scam, the complainant approached the cybercrime unit,” said the police. The modus operandi of the fraudsters involved approaching victims through social media platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram, making exaggerated claims of double or triple returns. “They demonstrated virtual profits and allowed limited withdrawals to build credibility before eventually blocking access to larger sums once invested,” added the police. Victims of cyber fraud are advised to call the helpline number 1930, or report the crime on https://cybercrime.gov.in.