Mumbai, Dec 27: Cyber fraudsters allegedly cheated a 26-year-old private digital marketing company owner from Chembur of Rs 1.26 crore by luring him with promises of high returns through forex and cryptocurrency trading. The East Region Cyber police have registered a case against unknown persons and initiated further investigation.
WhatsApp Call From UAE Number Lured Victim
According to the FIR, the complainant, Emmanuel Deepak Alhat, resides with his family on R.C. Chemburkar Marg, Chembur, and runs a digital marketing firm named Faith Media Works.
On February 22, 2024, Alhat received a WhatsApp call from a number with a United Arab Emirates (UAE) country code. The caller introduced himself as Watson and offered information about forex and crypto trading, claiming it would generate substantial profits.
Victim Asked To Download 1XBET Trading App
The caller sent Alhat a link to download a trading application named 1XBET. After installing the app, Alhat was added to a WhatsApp group titled Emanuel Alhat VIP 1XBET, created by Watson. The accused then provided multiple bank account details and instructed Alhat to transfer money for investment purposes.
Fake Profits Shown To Gain Trust
As Alhat began investing, the app displayed increasing returns, which strengthened his trust in the scheme. Between February 22, 2024, and December 16, 2025, he allegedly transferred a total amount of Rs 1,26,63,164 to various bank accounts as instructed.
Withdrawal Attempts Fail, App Goes Offline
When Alhat later attempted to withdraw part of the invested amount, he was unable to do so. On questioning, Watson allegedly gave evasive explanations. On December 16, 2025, the 1XBET trading app stopped functioning altogether, and Watson became unresponsive to calls and messages.
Case Registered Under BNS And IT Act
Realising that he had been cheated, Alhat lodged an online complaint with the national cyber helpline number 1930 and subsequently approached the East Region Cyber Police Station.
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Based on his complaint, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act and the Information Technology (IT) Act against the unidentified app operators, beneficiaries of the bank accounts, and their associates. Further investigation is underway.
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