How A Marriage Proposal Cost A Lucknow Doctor Rs 65 Lakh In A Crypto Scam

Crypto investment scams continue to target unsuspecting investors across the country.. In a recent instance of such a scam, a Lucknow-based doctor allegedly lost around Rs 65 lakh after fraudsters used a fake marriage proposal to trap him into a bogus cryptocurrency investment scheme.

An FIR has been registered at the Lucknow Cyber Crime Police Station. In the FIR the victim alleged that he transferred money over several months after being persuaded to invest in what was presented as a profitable cryptocurrency trading platform.

According to a report by The Times of India, the doctor came in contact with a woman through Facebook in February 2025. She introduced herself as a garment business owner from Jamshedpur, gradually built a relationship with him over WhatsApp and later expressed interest in marrying him.

How The Fraudsters Gained The Victim’s Trust

After introducing herself and establishing contact with the man, the woman later introduced the doctor to a man she described as an experienced cryptocurrency trader. Acting on her advice, the man initially invested Rs 10,000 on the platform, where he was shown returns that encouraged him to invest larger amounts.

According to the report, the victim was repeatedly asked to purchase USDT through Binance and transfer the cryptocurrency to the trading platform. The accused sought additional payments under various pretexts which included trading contracts, commissions, security verification and withdrawal processing charges.

To make the investment appear genuine, the fraudsters also added the victim to a WhatsApp group where another participant appeared to be earning substantial returns. As the displayed profits increased, they allegedly demanded nearly Rs 30 lakh as commission, claiming the amount was required before his investment and returns could be released.

How The Victim Lost Rs 65 Lakh

After trusting the promised returns, the doctor sold investments, took bank loans and borrowed money from relatives and friends. From March to July 2025, he transferred around Rs 65 lakh into multiple bank accounts shared by the fraudsters.

When the victim demanded the release of his money and threatened to approach the police, the alleged mentor stopped responding while the woman reportedly deleted her WhatsApp account.

The incident indicates that fraudsters are increasingly using fake cryptocurrency investment schemes to target victims. Thus investors should be careful before investing from platforms recommended by strangers online. It is also necessary to verify the platform and avoid sending cryptocurrency or money to unknown accounts based only on social media conversations or promises of high returns.