In the heart of Hyderabad, a city known for its IT hub, a 37-year-old doctor named Shobhan Kumar finds himself grappling with an unexpected financial setback. The source of his investment woes – a Dubai-based invoice discounting platform called Falcon, which has recently failed to make due payments on an investment of over ₹1.5 crore, almost entirely comprising his life savings.
Shobhan, like many other salaried professionals, had initially relied on traditional avenues such as fixed deposits, recurring deposits, and equities for his investments. However, rising expenses prompted him to explore alternative investment channels, leading him to invoice discounting platforms marketed as low-risk investments backed by corporate invoices rather than market speculation.
His initial investment with Falcon amounted to approximately ₹1 lakh. For the first three months, returns of around ₹3,300 arrived promptly. The seamless payments and dedicated support system instilled a sense of trust in Shobhan, who was assured that any minor delays in transferring funds would be rectified within 24 hours whenever they occurred.
The app provided by Falcon was readily available on the Google Play Store, with invoices regularly shared and purchase agreements uploaded. Every transaction appeared thoroughly documented, and the company proudly cited associations with large corporate names while encouraging referrals, offering vouchers and incentives as rewards.
However, everything changed in January 2026 when a missed payment marked the beginning of an ordeal for Shobhan. Unanswered calls and vague explanations about technical glitches and delayed payments ensued, eventually giving way to e-mails outlining defaults by certain companies and unpaid invoices.
The absence of regular payments has left many investors like Shobhan questioning the transparency and reliability of Falcon, once viewed as an organized and trustworthy platform for alternative investments. As the story unfolds, it serves as a reminder to exercise caution when exploring new investment avenues, even those that appear well-established and backed by corporate entities.
