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A 41-year-old Begumpet resident was allegedly duped of ₹13.3 lakh in an investment scam that originated through a dating app, Happn. The victim was initially contacted by a woman identifying herself as ‘Chandhini Chowdary’, who later shifted the conversation to WhatsApp.
Claiming to be an advisor to a trading analyst at Optinex Markets, she persuaded the man to register on the website and make investments in trading. The victim first invested ₹50,000 via IMPS, received a small profit, and successfully withdrew the amount, which built his trust in the platform. Over time, the woman encouraged him to make progressively larger investments, ultimately depositing ₹8,00,000.
The platform showed fabricated profits to maintain the illusion of legitimacy. When the victim attempted to withdraw his funds, the account was frozen, and he was instructed to pay more to unfreeze it.
Under pressure, the man transferred an additional ₹5,31,000, followed by ₹4,55,991, the latter purportedly for taxes, to release his money. In total, he lost ₹13,31,000 to the fraudsters. The victim lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime wing of the Hyderabad police. A case was booked and a probe is on.
Police have advised investors to exercise caution and verify the credentials of trading platforms before making financial commitments, particularly when approached through social or dating apps.
Published – August 14, 2025 08:47 am IST
