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'Hello, This is Divya': WhatsApp message leads to Rs 21.06…

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activeCrypto / Investment FraudPan India

'Hello, This is Divya': WhatsApp message leads to Rs 21.06 crore crypto scam targeting Gwalior CA

A 70-year-old chartered accountant from Gwalior was allegedly defrauded of over Rs 21 crore through a cryptocurrency investment scam lasting nearly seven months. The victim, who also served as an official of the Madhya Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries, was contacted via WhatsApp by someone introducing herself as Divya. The sender claimed to be an investment adviser offering lucrative returns in USDT, a cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar.

State

Multiple States

First reported

July 2026

Agency involved

State Cyber Cell

Arrests

Not reported (investigation ongoing against unidentified accused)

Charges or sections cited

Section 318(4) and Section 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act

Status

An FIR has been registered, about Rs 2 crore has been frozen, and the cyber cell is analyzing bank accounts, WhatsApp numbers, and IP addresses.

The full story

Everything you need to know about this case, in one place.

Investigators stated that the victim was directed to a fake online trading portal and convinced to transfer funds into multiple bank accounts between December 2025 and July 2026. To build trust, the fraudsters initially allowed small payouts, making the platform appear legitimate. Business associates reported that the victim may have invested not only his own money but also funds from more than 35 acquaintances who trusted his financial expertise.

As the victim continued investing, the fraudulent portal displayed imaginary profits exceeding Rs 33 crore. When he tried to withdraw the funds, the scammers blocked the transaction and demanded additional payments under the guise of income tax and risk margins. After realizing he was cheated, the victim reported the matter through the 1930 helpline and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

The State Cyber Cell launched an investigation and discovered a complex, four-layer banking network spanning over 20,000 transactions across multiple states. Authorities identified 77 first-layer accounts that directly received the funds and managed to freeze around Rs 2 crore. An FIR has been registered against unidentified individuals under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

Not yet reported: The articles do not mention the exact identities of the accused individuals or whether any arrests have been made.

Where the case stands

The latest position in the reports we read.

An FIR has been registered against unidentified suspects, and the State Cyber Cell is currently examining financial transactions, freezing accounts, and tracing the digital trail.

Who was affected

Described in general terms; we do not name victims.

A 70-year-old chartered accountant from Gwalior, along with more than 35 acquaintances and business associates whose funds he had reportedly invested.

Timeline

Key dates as reported, oldest first.

December 2025The victim received the initial WhatsApp message from the sender calling herself Divya and began making small test transfers.

December 25, 2025The victim transferred Rs 10,000 four times through UPI to the platform.

December 31, 2025The victim transferred Rs 15 lakh through RTGS from his Union Bank account.

January 7, 2026An actual return of Rs 1.88 lakh was credited to the victim's HDFC Bank account, convincing him the platform was genuine.

December 2025 to July 2026Over a period of seven months, the victim transferred a total of Rs 21,05,92,000 across multiple bank accounts.

July 2026Authorities registered an FIR, began analyzing nearly 20,049 transactions, and froze approximately Rs 2 crore across various bank accounts.

How the scam worked

The method described in the reports.

The victim received an unsolicited WhatsApp message from an individual claiming to be an investment adviser named Divya.
The scammers shared a link to a fake online trading portal and guided the victim to invest in cryptocurrencies like USDT and Bitcoin.
Initial investments were kept small, and a small payout was successfully credited to the victim's bank account to build false confidence.
The online portal displayed massive, imaginary profits as the victim continued to deposit larger sums of money from himself and his associates.
When the victim attempted to withdraw his returns, the platform blocked the transaction and demanded further payments labeled as taxes and risk margins.
The stolen funds were rapidly dispersed through a four-layer network involving thousands of bank accounts, ATMs, vouchers, and cryptocurrency conversions to evade detection.

Targeted by something similar?

Call 1930 (free, 24x7) straight away, then file at cybercrime.gov.in. Money reported in the first hours is far easier to freeze.

Report it on Report Scams Emergency guide How these scams work

Keep reading

More cases like this one.

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Sources and further reading

Optional. The full story is above; these are the original reports it was prepared from.

ptcnews.tvOriginal report PTC NewsOpens via Google News 'Hello, This is Divya': WhatsApp message leads to Rs 21.06 crore crypto scam targeting Gwalior CA - PTC NewsPTC News · 14 Jul 2026

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