Vasant Kunj Resident Duped of Rs 1.6 Crore in WhatsApp Cryptocurrency Scam
A 65-year-old retired central government officer living in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, was defrauded of Rs 1.6 crore in an elaborate cryptocurrency investment scam that began on WhatsApp last August.
The victim, Anil Singhal (name changed), was targeted by a scammer posing as a successful entrepreneur who convinced him to liquidate his lifetime savings before threatening his life.
The deception began when Singhal received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. The sender identified herself as Shreya Sharma, claiming to be a successful leather bag manufacturer from Jalandhar. Over two months, she built a close relationship with Singhal, sharing stories of her financial success and high returns from cryptocurrency trading.
Under her guidance, Singhal initially invested small amounts in rupees, which were converted into the cryptocurrency USDT. After investing Rs 34 lakh, he was allowed to withdraw Rs 3.3 lakh in profits. This successfully built his trust, prompting him to liquidate his lifetime savings to invest further.
Singhal transferred large sums from his two bank accounts into multiple accounts provided by Sharma. However, when he attempted to withdraw his ballooning funds, he found his trading account blocked. Sharma claimed the block was a temporary verification hurdle to rule out money laundering and demanded additional fees to unlock it.
Hoping to recover his funds, Singhal transferred another Rs 70 lakh in three transactions through a cryptocurrency exchange platform. When the account remained frozen, Sharma introduced him to a man claiming to be her wealthy uncle in California. Under pressure from this individual, Singhal transferred an additional Rs 58 lakh.
The scam took a bizarre turn on April 9, 2026, when Sharma switched off her phone after claiming she was undergoing medical treatment. Days later, the "uncle" informed Singhal that Sharma had been taken to the US, and another woman claiming to be her mother subsequently told him Sharma had died.
The scammers then began extorting Singhal. The woman claiming to be Sharma's mother accused Singhal of harassment, demanded his residential address, and threatened to hunt him down in India. The "uncle" also warned Singhal that he would be killed if he did not cooperate.
Realising he had been defrauded of approximately Rs 1.6 crore, Singhal approached the Delhi Police with chat records, call logs, and bank receipts. The police registered an FIR this June and are currently investigating the matter. No arrests have been made so far.
