Singer Neha Kakkar’s name and image have been misused in an elaborate investment scam that defrauded a Mumbai woman of over Rs 5 lakh, prompting an FIR at Worli police station.
Advocate Shabnam Mohammad Hussain Syed, a resident of BDD Chawl in Worli, discovered fake articles and promotional videos in June 2025 that falsely linked Kakkar to an investment platform called FXOnet. The fraudulent content portrayed the platform as “trusted and legal,” using the popular singer’s credibility to attract unsuspecting investors.
Syed was drawn in by these deceptive promotions and began communicating with individuals identifying themselves as Vijay and later Jimmy D’Souza. The scammers operated through international phone numbers, the encrypted messaging app Telegram (user ID: @fxonetlbot), and professional-looking Zoom meetings—tactics designed to create an appearance of legitimacy.
The alleged perpetrators provided investment advice and walked Syed through the process of opening an FXOnet trading account. Between June 18 and October 9, 2025, she transferred a total of Rs 5,02,025 via UPI to multiple bank accounts associated with various entities, including Rajesh Kannan, VPI ProMedia Kigali, India Impex Trading Company, and VPI 361 VPECOM.
When the promised returns failed to materialize and attempts to secure refunds proved futile, Syed realized she had fallen victim to fraud and approached the police.
Mumbai Police have registered a case against the accused under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act (IT Act). Investigators are currently gathering digital evidence, including Telegram chat histories, Zoom call records, and transaction details, to track down those responsible.
This incident is part of a growing trend of fraudsters exploiting celebrity names for financial scams. Recently, Mumbai Police handled another case where a scammer impersonated Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves to defraud a 69-year-old woman of Rs 65,000.
The case highlights the increasing sophistication of online investment frauds and the need for public vigilance when encountering investment opportunities promoted through social media or messaging platforms, especially those featuring celebrity endorsements.
