Retired Colonel Loses Over ₹23 Lakhs in Share Trading Scam

Cyber fraudsters in Lucknow have defrauded a retired colonel of his lifetime savings by luring him into a fake share trading scheme. The victim, identified as retired Colonel Surendra Kumar Singh, was added to a WhatsApp group where he was promised substantial profits through stock trading. Initially, the scheme appeared legitimate, but it was later revealed to be a cyber fraud. The fraudsters, claiming to be executives of 'South Asian Stock Limited,' used the WhatsApp group 'K-885 Stocko Tech Trade Unit' to gain his trust. Between late December 2025 and early January 2026, the colonel transferred a total of ₹23.10 lakhs from his bank accounts to various Yes Bank accounts. When he attempted to withdraw his funds on January 12, 2026, his requests were denied, and he lost contact with the group members. He has filed a complaint with the cybercrime helpline and an FIR with the Lucknow Cyber Crime police, who are investigating the network involved in the scam and tracing the bank accounts and suspects.