Ex-CBI Officer’s Wife Loses Rs 2.58 Crore To Cyber Fraud
The wife of former CBI Joint Director and retired IPS officer VV Lakshmi Narayana lost Rs 2.58 crore in a cyber fraud scheme disguised as a high-return stock market investment.
Urmila, residing in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills, was targeted via a WhatsApp group named “Stock Market Profit Guide Exchange 20” starting in November 2025. Scammers, led by someone posing as Dinesh Singh, promised 500% returns and shared fake profit screenshots to build trust. She downloaded the fraudulent “MCKIEY CM” app from the Apple App Store and transferred funds across 19 transactions between December 24, 2025, and January 5, 2026, even mortgaging family gold jewelry.
The fraudsters used social engineering, forged SEBI certificates, and a fake trading dashboard showing illusory profits to lure her deeper. When Urmila tried to withdraw, the app blocked her, demanding more deposits to “unlock” funds, exposing the trap. Her husband had warned her about suspicious bank account details from various states, but the pressure tactics prevailed initially.
Hyderabad cybercrime police registered a case on January 6, 2026, after her complaint and launched a technical probe. Funds were traced to multiple mule accounts nationwide, with efforts underway to freeze assets and track perpetrators. This case underscores rising investment scams; victims should dial 1930 immediately upon suspicion.
