India, Oct. 3 -- justify;">A 54-year-old housewife from Mehdipatnam thought she'd found a promising investment opportunity. A messaging group showcased screenshots of trades. Members shared their wins with emojis. The admin, who called himself a "senior portfolio manager," promised returns. Two months later, she was Rs.1.6 crore poorer - and the group had vanished.

She's not alone. Fake videos and messages on popular social media platforms are being used to promote so-called "guaranteed return" schemes. WithIndia's investment growth has intersected with organised deception, and first-time crypto investors are among the main targets.

Online scammers aim to make you trust them. And many succeed. Losses linked to online scams are rising st...