Woman dupes Vizag youngsters of Rs 50 lakh on matrimonial site

Visakhapatnam: Several youngsters in Visakhapatnam were duped of over ₹50 lakh by a woman who posed as a prospective bride on a matrimonial site and lured them into online trading investments.In one case, a 32-year-old man came into contact with a woman identified as Deepika P on a matrimonial platform. After initial calls went unanswered, the two began interacting on WhatsApp and developed regular communication over a few months.Claiming to be a software professional based in Bengaluru, the woman gradually gained his trust and introduced the idea of investing in online trading. She shared a DEX trading link and persuaded him to start with an initial investment of ₹30,000. The victim transferred the amount via UPI to a firm and was shown credits in a trading wallet.She then guided him to trade through a mobile app that reflected steady profits.

Encouraged by the returns, she convinced him to take a bank loan to invest further. Trusting her, the victim availed a ₹4 lakh loan and invested the amount. The app later showed his investment growing to ₹15 lakh.When he tried to withdraw the money, the woman demanded ₹3.3 lakh as ‘tax’. After he paid the amount, she stopped responding. In May, she went offline and cut all communication, prompting the victim to approach the cybercrime police.

Police said the same modus operandi was used to cheat multiple youngsters in the city, with total losses exceeding ₹50 lakh.Officials added that such frauds, often linked to fake investment schemes in cryptocurrency and online trading, are on the rise. “Greed for quick and high returns is a key factor behind such crimes. Investors should verify platforms and avoid transferring money without due checks,” police said.