62-Year-Old Navi Mumbai Man Loses Rs 73 Lakh in Online Gold Trading Fraud

A 62-year-old man from New Panvel, Navi Mumbai, was cheated out of Rs 73.72 lakh by a woman he met on a dating application between March and May 2024. The woman, identifying herself as Zia, persuaded him through WhatsApp chats to invest in a gold trading scheme promising high returns via a specific trading app. Over three months, the man invested the amount but received no returns, prompting suspicion. When he sought clarification, the woman ceased communication and became unreachable. The victim filed a police complaint, and authorities registered a case under sections 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant IT Act provisions on July 4. Police are currently investigating to trace the accused and follow the digital trail of the fraudulent transactions.