![\"\u2018Phantom](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132174714,imgsize-88960,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/an-old-man-be-seen-with-money-and-some-papers-on-the-table-and-his-phone-displaying-whatsapp-chats-ai-generated-image-used-for-representational-purpose.jpg\" "\\"An")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: For five years, Anil Singhal (name changed) had settled into a quiet retired life in Vasant Kunj. One afternoon last Aug, he received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number.The display picture was of a woman who introduced herself as Shreya Sharma. She claimed to be a successful entrepreneur running a company manufacturing leather bags in Jalandhar.What began as a casual conversation between the two deepened. Over the next two months, Shreya forged a close bond with the former central govt officer through constant chats, craftily mixing emotional intimacy with stories of her extraordinary financial success.She frequently spoke of making \u201chuge profits\u201d through cryptocurrency trading and introduced him to an investment platform, sharing screenshots and records of her \u201creturns\u201d.A tad wary at first, the 65year-old man soon loosened up, his caution giving way to trust. Drawn in by her confidence and promises of high financial returns, he agreed to invest under her guidance.To build credibility, Shreya first encouraged him to invest small amounts in rupees, which were converted into USDT. He pumped in more money, totalling Rs 34 lakh, and started making steady profits. Soon, he was able to withdraw Rs 3.3 lakh without breaking much sweat.Convinced that it was indeed a genuine opportunity to earn some quick bucks, Singhal began liquidating his savings of a lifetime.Over the next few weeks, he transferred large sums through his two bank accounts into multiple accounts shared by Shreya. On the trading dashboard, his investments soon appeared to balloon.Then one day, when he tried to withdraw the money, he found his trading account was blocked.<\/p>\n Trap, extortion and a fake death<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A panicky Singhal contacted Shreya, who assured him it was a temporary hurdle, claiming that those running the financial platform authorities had flagged his account for \u201cverification\u201d to rule out money laundering. He would have to pay additional charges to get it unlocked, she told him.Desperate to recover his money, Singhal followed her instructions and transferred another Rs 70 lakh in three separate transactions through a cryptocurrency exchange platform after converting the amount into US dollars.His trading account, however, remained frozen.At this point, Shreya introduced Singhal to a person, supposedly a wealthy businessman based in California, who she claimed was her \u201cuncle\u201d. When Singhal spoke to him, the man sounded convincing and assured him that his investments were safe.He claimed that an additional Rs 30 lakh was needed to clear the \u201csuspicious transaction flag\u201d before again demanding Rs 28 lakh. Under pressure, Singhal transferred Rs 58 lakh more.Soon after, Shreya sent Singhal a message, her final one, saying she was suffering from a severe stomach ailment and was undergoing an endoscopy. On April 9, 2026, she switched off her phone. Singhal was distraught.A few days later, her \u201cuncle\u201d informed Singhal that Shreya\u2019s mother had taken her to US for emergency treatment. When Singhal contacted the woman who claimed to be the mother, she sought financial help from him, citing expensive medical bills. The next day, she told him that Shreya was dead.Singhal, utterly confused and heartbroken, got no time to grieve. For, the woman\u2019s tone suddenly turned threatening when she called him up, accusing him of earlier harassing Shreya.Warning him of serious consequences, she demanded to know his residential address. Then on May 3, she claimed she was returning to India to hunt him down. Simultaneously, the uncle dialled Singhal and warned him that he must \u201ccooperate\u201d with her because she was planning to get him killed.And then as suddenly as Shreya had appeared in Singhal\u2019s life, the man and woman vanished from his radar. Realising that he had been duped of around Rs 1.6 crore, Singhal approached police, providing them with chat records, call logs and bank receipts.The cops lodged an FIR this June and are probing the case. No one has yet been arrested.<\/div>\n![\"Trap,](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132174651\/trap-extortion-and-a-fake-death.jpg\" "\\"Trap,")
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