A 28-year-old businessman from Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad, who was scouting for bulk goods online, ended up losing nearly ₹39.7 lakh to fraudsters operating through Telegram. The Hyderabad Cybercrimes police booked a case.
The man, who allegedly often relies on social media platforms to procure goods, joined a Telegram group on May 13 after coming across offers for bulk consignments at heavily discounted rates, said an officer from the wing. Enticed by the prices, he struck a deal worth ₹30 lakh and transferred an advance of ₹9,99,990.
“Soon after, the ‘suppliers’ claimed there was a delivery issue and demanded an additional ₹3 lakh. Believing the explanation, he paid up, only to be asked for the entire balance amount. In the following weeks, he kept transferring smaller sums depending on availability, eventually sending a total of ₹39,74,989,” explained the officer.
Despite having paid the full amount, no goods ever arrived. The group administrators stopped responding and later blocked him altogether. Realising he had been duped, the businessman lodged a complaint with the Cybercrime police, who confirmed it was a case of online cheating and financial fraud.
Published – September 15, 2025 07:23 pm IST
