65-Year-Old Retired Pilot Loses Rs 72 Lakh in Elon Musk Investment Scam:

A 65-year-old former pilot was defrauded of Rs 72 lakh over six months by scammers posing as Elon Musk, his mother Maye Musk, and an assistant named Anna Sherman. They led the victim to believe he was investing in Tesla and SpaceX.

Fraud Initiated Through Social Media

The incident started in January 2024 when two accounts, 'MayeMuskXOfficials' and 'IamAnnaSherman', followed the victim on X (formerly Twitter). After he interacted with them, Anna Sherman offered to introduce him to Elon Musk for potential investment opportunities.

WhatsApp Used to Build Trust

The complainant was provided a WhatsApp number, allegedly belonging to Musk. On January 25, 2024, he was convinced to transfer Rs 2.9 lakh to a Kotak Mahindra Bank account under the name Bajirao Hariba Lokhande. Sherman told him this money was used to invest in Tesla shares and encouraged further investment to qualify for a Tesla car.

Multiple Transfers Made Before Realization

Believing he was investing in Tesla and SpaceX, the pilot made 22 payments via bank transfers and PayPal over several months. The total amount lost reached Rs 72 lakh before he realized it was a scam.

False Promises of Returns and Tax Deduction Request

In June, another individual contacted the victim claiming to be Deepak Chakravorthy, CEO of a firm managing his investments. This person told the pilot his investments had grown to Rs 78 lakh but he would need to pay Rs 7.3 lakh as tax to withdraw the funds. The complainant refused, asking the caller to deduct the tax from the earnings, but no money was returned.

Police Investigation Underway

A case has been filed, and authorities are investigating. The incident highlights the growing risk of financial scams conducted via social media and messaging platforms.