On Friday, the City Cyber Crime Police arrested 28-year-old K. Manu, a member of an online trading scam group based in Cambodia, for allegedly defrauding a city resident of over Rs2 crore. Manu, hailing from Thirurangadi in Malappuram district, was apprehended upon his arrival at Tiruchirappalli airport in Tamil Nadu after traveling from Cambodia.
The police revealed that Manu would initially make connections with people on Instagram, offering tips on stock market trading. After gaining their trust, he allegedly encouraged victims to download fraudulent applications, which appeared to offer stock market services. These fake apps facilitated the transfer of money from the victims. The scam that led to his arrest took place in June 2024, with the operations being conducted from a call centre in Cambodia.