Centre’s I4C warns against investment scams on WhatsApp, Telegram

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has warned the public against a sharp rise in online investment scams operating through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, where cybercriminals lure unsuspecting investors with promises of quick, high and guaranteed returns.

According to officials, the MHA’s Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has found that fraudsters are increasingly creating fake investment groups and posing as market experts or representatives of reputed financial firms. Victims are lured with so-called “VIP stock tips”, fabricated trading success stories and promises of extraordinary profits before being persuaded to invest through fraudulent platforms.