A retired professor and former director at JIPMER was devastated after losing nearly Rs 2 crore in a sophisticated WhatsApp investment scam. Dr M. Batmanabane Mounissamy filed a complaint with cybercrime authorities on Thursday. As reported, the scammers first added Dr Mounissamy to a WhatsApp group named “H‑10 Nuvama Health Group,” which claimed to provide exclusive “insider tips” and expert guidance on investing in Nuvama Funds, formerly known as Edelweiss. Dr Mounissamy, being a long-time investor in the company, assumed that the group was affiliated with the firm.
He further wrote that one day, a person introducing herself as “Kangana” reached out to him privately, claiming to be a representative from the firm. She asked the victim to get himself registered on a website seemingly affiliated with Nuvama. On April 19, he invested Rs 10,000, and the site showed an immediate growth to Rs 13,000 in his portfolio to hype him up.
Believing the website was legitimate, he invested approximately Rs 1.9 crore, convinced that it’s a high-yielding investment. By late May, the platform showed a balance of Rs 35 crore, leaving the victim in complete disbelief. However, when he attempted to withdraw Rs 5 crore, his request was blocked, followed by hefty “processing fees” of Rs 32 lakh. However, it was later reduced to 25% of the withdrawal, making Dr Mounissamy pay another Rs 7.9 lakh.
Reviewed by Ninja Tech
on
June 27, 2025
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