A 46-year-old retired IT engineer from Pimple Saudagar, Pune, has reported being defrauded of ₹4.43 crore by online scammers promising lucrative returns on stock investments. The fraud unfolded between May 7 and June 1, 2025, after the victim encountered an investment advertisement on a messaging app. Having previously worked as a software engineer abroad, he had experience in stock trading for 15 years. Intrigued by the advertisement, he joined an investment group where the admin shared stock tips and showcased profits from other members. Following their guidance, he initially made profits but was later instructed to open an account on a fraudulent trading app and transfer funds to multiple bank accounts. The app falsely indicated that his investment had ballooned to ₹26.64 crore. However, when he sought to withdraw his funds, he was hit with a service charge of ₹1.33 crore. Realizing he had been scammed, he approached the cyber police to file a complaint.