Karnataka: Man duped of over Rs 2 lakh in crypto scam via dating app

MANGALURU: A man allegedly lost over Rs 2 lakh after being duped in a cryptocurrency investment scam. In a complaint, Prashanth Kumar P.P. stated that while using his mobile phone, he downloaded a dating application called "Quack Quack – Date Friend Chat App" through ChatGPT. Through this app, he came in contact with a woman named Isha Singh. Later, on Sept 11, Isha reportedly sent him a Telegram link. Through that link, the complainant began chatting and interacting with her.Subsequently, Isha advised him to invest in cryptocurrency and trading, to which the complainant agreed. Following her instructions, on Sept 15, he clicked on a link sent through Telegram, which opened a website. As per her guidance, he first invested Rs 50,000 in cryptocurrency trading. In return, he received Rs 2,900 and Rs 8,000 as profit, which he successfully withdrew, he claimed.Later, on Sept 25, she suggested that he invest another Rs 2.40 lakh in cryptocurrency trading. When the complainant asked for her mobile number to transfer the money, she provided it. They continued communication via WhatsApp messages and calls, and he transferred Rs 2.40 lakh on the same day.

On the website, his account displayed the invested amount along with profits. However, when he attempted to withdraw the money, he noticed that the last digits of his account number were changed. On further inquiry, he realised that he was trapped in an online fraud.In this regard, a case was registered at the DK CEN Crime Police Station, under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act, and Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).