Karnal, January 5: Cyber ??gangs that defraud people of lakhs of rupees by luring them with promises of friendship on social media and online trading are continuously active. A ??similar case has come to light in Karnal, where a person was defrauded of approximately Rs 13.77 lakh after befriending someone on Facebook. The victim, Ajit, stated in his complaint to the Cyber ??Crime Police Station in Karnal that he became acquainted with a woman named Sanjana Pandey on Facebook. She introduced herself as a trading expert and lured him with the promise of huge profits from forex and online investments.

**Gaining Trust with Small Investments**
At Sanjana's behest, Ajit made his first investment of Rs 50,000, which was sent to a UPI account in the name of Rakesh Verma. Within a short time, a profit of Rs 20,000 was shown on the trading app. Lured by this profit, Ajit was continuously persuaded to invest more.

**Money Transferred to Multiple Accounts**
Subsequently, money was transferred to accounts under different names such as Satyam Kushwaha, Sahil Ahake, Salma Sheikh, and Sandeep Singh. Money was demanded repeatedly, sometimes citing favorable market conditions and sometimes large trades.

**Pressure for Taxes and Charges on Withdrawal**
When Ajit tried to withdraw Rs 3 lakh, his request was canceled. He was then told that the account was suspicious and that he would have to deposit security, margin, 30 percent tax, and 18 percent GST. Under duress, he sent another Rs 4.43 lakh.

**Accused Failed to Meet Even After Calling Him to Delhi**
Finally, Sanjana Pandey promised to meet him in Delhi to resolve the matter. On December 5, 2025, the victim reached Delhi with his wife, but he was given various excuses and no one came forward. After this, a series of threats and false accusations began over the phone.

**Suspicion of an Organized Gang**
The investigation has revealed links to Gursewak Singh and Rahul Verma through the UPI accounts. Information has also surfaced linking Rahul Verma to a finance office in the Tripuri police station area of ??Patiala, raising suspicions of an organized cyber fraud gang.

**Police Investigation Underway**
A case has been registered at the Cyber ??Crime Police Station in Karnal, and all bank accounts, mobile numbers, social media profiles, and transactions are being investigated. Police have appealed to the public not to fall for scams by unknown individuals on social media and to conduct thorough research before making any online investments.