Mysuru: Despite regular awareness campaigns by City Police — particularly the Cyber Crime Division — on the dangers of online scams such as fraudulent trading platforms, digital arrests, WhatsApp frauds and bogus part-time job offers, unsuspecting citizens continue to fall victim.

In the latest case, a woman engineer from Mysuru has been cheated of a staggering Rs. 1.26 crore by cyber criminals posing as online trading agents.

The victim, Shobha (name changed), a resident of Gayathripuram, was browsing Instagram when an advertisement for an online trading opportunity caught her eye. Clicking on the link redirected her to a website where she registered her name and mobile number.

Soon after, she began receiving messages related to online trading and was added to a so-called ‘VIP Group’ on WhatsApp. The group shared a link, prompting her to download an investment app — allegedly created by fraudsters.

Following instructions from the group’s administrators, Shobha invested a total of Rs. 1,26,85,970 in multiple phases The app appeared to show her account growing with profits.

However, when she attempted to withdraw her earnings, the fraudsters demanded an additional Rs. 7.45 lakh as a commission before releasing the funds.

It was only then that Shobha realised she had been conned. She immediately approached the Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) Crime Police Station and lodged a formal complaint.

This incident underscores the vulnerability of even educated individuals to sophisticated cyber scams. Police have been repeatedly cautioning the public — especially the elderly and tech-savvy youth — not to share personal banking details, OTPs, or click on unfamiliar links, no matter how legitimate they may appear.

Authorities have advised citizens to be wary of part-time job offers, especially those circulated through WhatsApp and to ignore messages claiming lottery wins or cash prizes.

Despite continuous public education drives, cyber criminals continue to exploit curiosity and trust, leaving many financially and emotionally devastated.