In a disturbing illustration of how online fraudsters exploit celebrity credibility, a 45-year-old lawyer from Worli has fallen victim to an elaborate scam, losing ₹5.02 lakh after being lured by fake endorsements featuring Bollywood singer Neha Kakkar. The scammers promoted a non-existent international trading platform called FXOnet, leveraging fake news articles and manipulated images of the singer to establish trust.
The incident highlights the growing threat of celebrity impersonation scams and underscores the need for heightened vigilance against sophisticated financial fraud operating across international borders and social media platforms.
The victim, identified as advocate Shabnam Mohammad Hussain Syed, lodged an FIR at the Worli Police Station after discovering fraudulent content online in June 2025. The scammers had created professional-looking fake articles and videos that falsely linked Neha Kakkar to FXOnet, brazenly branding it as a “trusted and legal trading platform” that promised unbelievable returns.
Sources confirm that the fraudsters used several tactics to convince the victim:
- Fake Endorsements: They utilized unauthorized images and potentially deepfake videos of Neha Kakkar, making it appear as though the singer herself was actively investing and earning massive profits through FXOnet.
- Impersonation: Syed began communicating with two individuals, one identifying himself as ‘Vijay’ and another as ‘Jimmy D’Souza,’ who used international phone numbers and highly professional-looking email IDs to pose as experienced financial advisors.
- Private Channels: Communication was primarily conducted through encrypted apps like Telegram (using the ID: @fxonetlbot) and scheduled Zoom video sessions, lending an air of exclusivity and professionalism to the scheme.
The fraud unfolded systematically over several months. After convincing Syed of the platform’s legitimacy through the fake celebrity endorsement, the fraudsters:
- Account Setup: They guided the lawyer through the process of setting up a fake trading account on the FXOnet platform.
- Investment Tips: They shared misleading “investment tips” and advice via a dedicated Telegram group, showing initial, false profits on an online dashboard to build confidence.
- Money Transfer: Convinced she was on the verge of high returns, Syed transferred a total of ₹5,02,025 from her HDFC Bank account via UPI between June 18 and October 9, 2025. The money was transferred into several different accounts, including those under the names Rajesh Kannan, VPI ProMedia Kigali, and India Impex Trading Company, a common tactic used to layer fraudulent transactions.
Despite continuous assurance from ‘Vijay’ and ‘Jimmy D’Souza,’ Syed never received the promised profits or a refund. She realized she had been duped only after her repeated attempts to withdraw her funds failed, leading her to file a police complaint.
The Worli Police immediately registered a complaint and have booked the unidentified accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act.
Investigators are now focusing on a detailed analysis of the digital footprint, including the extensive Telegram chats, Zoom meeting logs, and the UPI transaction trails, to trace the international network behind the elaborate scam. The case serves as a grave reminder of how easily scammers can leverage the image of trusted public figures like Neha Kakkar to conduct large-scale financial fraud, bypassing traditional security warnings.
