Sivaganga district police have received hundreds of complaints from investors who were cheated in a multi-crore online app scam.The complainants said the scamsters had advertised that if investments were made on online apps such as FQL and VJ, the amount would get doubled in 45 days. Investments of up to ₹50,000 were collected on one app and ₹1 lakh from the other. The appointed agents downloaded the apps on the mobile phones of the investors.Subsequently, the money invested in the apps was displayed in U.S. dollars. Further, clicking on text messages received by the app and doing ‘trading’ would increase the value of the dollars.Initially, the scamsters disbursed money to a few individuals as return on investments. Hence, hundreds of people from areas near Sivaganga, including Paiyur, Ayyampatti, Allur, Udayanathapuram, Karampatti, and Purasadai Udaipu, reportedly invested money.Two weeks ago, the apps crashed and the investors realised that they had been cheated. On Friday, a large number of affected people in Madurai and Dindigul districts engaged in protests. More than 100 people from areas such as Paiyur, Allur, and Purasadai Udaipu in Sivaganga gathered at the District Superintendent of Police Office on Saturday.The District Crime Branch police, who received petitions from them, are conducting an investigation into the matter.They said many more petitions were likely to be received in Sivaganga district. “Those involved in the fraud are from Melur in Madurai district. The Madurai police have arrested some suspects, and the case will be fully investigated by them.” Published - August 29, 2026 09:04 pm IST