A 21-year-old woman from Trombay has been arrested in connection with an online cheating case where a Mumbai businessman was defrauded of Rs 8 crore last year. Nadiya Abdul Shaikh, a resident of Cheeta Camp, was apprehended by the Central Cyber Police after her involvement emerged during the investigation. The police revealed that she was part of a larger gang of online fraudsters who posed as officials from a bank in Finland.
The fraudsters had targeted the businessman through social media, enticing him to invest in shares in March and April of last year. They initially showed profits in his account, which led him to invest more. However, when he attempted to withdraw his earnings, he was instructed to deposit Rs 5.27 crore. At this point, the businessman realized he had been scammed.
The arrested woman, Nadiya, is accused of facilitating bank accounts and managing transactions related to the scam. The gang operated via a WhatsApp group called ‘Stock Market Navigation,’ posing as representatives from Nordea Bank, promising high returns on investments.
The businessman, involved in chemicals, reported that he had responded to a Facebook ad featuring a “professor,” Sanjay Sharma, who claimed to be a general manager at Nordea Bank in Finland. The victim was asked to invest through a VIP trading app, and after showing profits, he transferred Rs 8.05 crore between April 4 and May 4, 2024. However, when he sought to withdraw part of his profit, he was told to invest an additional Rs 5.27 crore, prompting him to realize he had been duped and seek police help.
Nadiya was arrested on February 19. A police source noted, “She is just a small fry in the big scam,” and her phone was seized, revealing conversations related to illegal transactions and bank accounts. Cyber police officials confirmed that this scam is part of a nationwide operation, targeting multiple victims across India, and that the gang likely operates from outside the country.
Authorities have advised citizens to exercise “utmost caution” when considering online investments and to verify the authenticity of such schemes before engaging in them.
