PATNA, Oct. 31 -- As Diwali approaches, Bihar is witnessing a sharp rise in investment-related cyber frauds. While overall financial fraud complaints rose by approximately 29% between 2025 and 2026, the specific category of investment fraud has surged by 65% in the last year alone, according to a report from the Cyber Crime and Security Unit (CCSU). The data reveals that investment fraud now accounts for 6.06% of total losses, up from 4.84% last year. Monthly reports of such scams have climbed from an average of Rs.2.9 crore in 2025 to Rs.3.4 crore this year. According to the CCSU, investment scams swindled Rs.52.38 crore between January 2025 and September 2026, with Rs.27.54 crore defrauded in the first nine months of this year alone. "Till September last year, this figure was only Rs.16.58 crore. Last year in 2025, a total of Rs.25.04 crore was siphoned off in the name of investment," said a Cyber Cell official. Inspector General of CCSU Ranjit Mishra said that the highest number of investment fraud cases have been registered in Patna. The biggest fraud in the last 21 months has been of Rs.1.46 crore. According to CCSU, cyber criminals are preying on over 31% of the highest number of victims in the name of fake IPOs and share trading. According to the CCSU data, Rs.16.59 crore has been swindled in investment-related fraud since last year. This includes Rs.5.32 crore lost to cryptocurrency and foreign stock market scams, Rs.4.68 crore to money-doubling schemes, Rs.3.31 crore to fake company schemes, Rs.2.78 crore to part-time or task-based job scams, and over Rs.30 lakh to gaming and betting apps. The report reveals that investment fraudsters primarily exploit platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram. Scams often begin with enticing social media advertisements that lure potential victims into private messaging groups. Perpetrators then use fake screenshots to promise high, rapid returns on IPOs, stocks, and company shares. Once funds are transferred, the investment disappears, and scammers often demand additional payments under the guise of taxes or service fees. In task-based/part-time job, fraudsters contact victims through WhatsApp or Telegram messages offering a part-time, work-from-home job rating hotels, liking YouTube videos or reviewing products. The first tasks pay small amounts. Then "prepaid" or "merchant" tasks require the victim to deposit money to unlock higher earnings, with each round being larger, until the account is frozen, officials said. Similarly in fake IPOs, the victim sees a Facebook or Instagram advertisement or is added to a WhatsApp or Telegram "stock market" group run by a fake expert and a woman "assistant". Members post fake profit screenshots. The victim is told to install a trading app or open a special OTC, institutional, HNI or IPO-allotment account, and deposits into accounts shared in the group. The app shows large paper profits; withdrawal is blocked until "tax," "service charge," or "IPO lock-in" fees are paid, officials added. In the Crypto modus, the victim is approached by a friend, an online contact or an advertisement and moved onto a fake crypto exchange or forex platform. Early small withdrawals succeed to build trust, then larger deposits in rupees or USDT are taken....