The Incident
A 45-year-old lawyer, based in Mumbai, has been a victim of online fraud to the tune of ₹5.02 lakhs in a scam that involved Bollywood singer Neha Kakkar’s name being falsely used to advertise a fake trading platform called FXOnet. The lawyer, whose name is Shabnam Mohammad Hussain Syed, had already reported the incident to the police at Worli station when she discovered giving money to the criminals was a big mistake and she had been deceived.
How the Scam Worked
In June 2025, the victim allegedly saw faked internet postings and articles that stated that Neha Kakkar had accepted FXOnet as being a “secure and profitable” investment platform. The swindlers got in touch thereafter using international phone numbers, Telegram (ID: @fxonetlbot), and Zoom calls, introducing themselves as “Vijay” and “Jimmy D’Souza.”
They lured Shabnam into opening a trading account by making the promise of high returns and presenting “professional investment advice.” Depending on the celebrity endorsement, she did several UPI transfers, which amounted to ₹5.02 lakh between June and October 2025, to different accounts named Rajesh Kannan, VPI ProMedia Kigali, and India Impex Trading Company, among others.
She never received any profits or reimbursements after numerous follow-ups. She immediately filed a formal complaint with the police after realizing she had been duped.
Police Investigation
The police of Worli have registered a complaint according to the relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). At present, the digital crime unit is on the hunt for the criminals by examining the online activities that include chat histories, Zoom meetings, and UPI transactions.
The officials believe that the scammers are not working alone; rather, they are part of a bigger gang that capitalizes on the use of famous personalities, celeb names, and fake endorsements to attract unsuspecting victims to illegitimate trading and investing applications.
A Growing Trend
Authorities are warning that this kind of trick is already widespread in India. Online criminals consistently use the photos and videos of famous people and even create deepfakes and AI-based content to make fraudulent commercials appear real. The investors who believe in the celebrity link go so far as to put down huge amounts of money without thoroughly checking the platform’s legitimacy and authenticity.
Safety Tips for Consumers
It is very important that people are careful when they are trading in online platforms for their investments. Each trader should first check the reputation of the trading app via official channels or the SEBI website, and then only they should proceed with financial engagements. Moreover, it is really not a good idea to click on ads that claim to be celebrity endorsements, as these are usually just tricks to entice people. Moreover, it is best to keep away from money transfers to unknown or unregistered accounts because such transactions can be very hard to trace or recover. In case of any suspicious activity or fraud, the victims are advised to contact official cybercrime helplines or report the incident to the government’s portal at cybercrime.gov.in for quick action.
The incident is a warning that no matter how persuasive celebrity endorsements in the digital realm can be, they could still be fake. People are advised to verify the genuineness of these promotions first and then, in case they are found to be fake, inform the authorities so that no one else suffers from the same fate. Furthermore, in addition to misleading innocent people, these fraudulent practices harm the reputation of the celebrities whose names are utilized without permission.
