127 booked for cheating people online with cheap goods

Police have registered a case against 127 persons on charges of cheating people by putting up fraudulent classified advertisements for selling goods at cheap rates on a popular online platform, an official said on Monday.

The fraudsters, members of different gangs spread across states, posed as defence personnel while talking to potential buyers over the phone, he said.

The case has been registered by the Crime Branch of the city police.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rajesh Dandotia said after investigating over 40 complaints of cheating on the online platform, an FIR has been registered against 127 accused under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

He said, "These fraudsters are from different states. A search is on for them."

The ASP said preliminary investigation revealed that these gangs of fraudsters put up advertisements on the online marketplace to sell cars, two-wheelers, refrigerators, mobile phones, cameras and other goods at cheap prices.

They introduced themselves as defence personnel when the complainants called the mobile numbers mentioned in the advertisements, he said.

Dandotia said, "In order to trap their victims, the fraudsters would send fake photos of soldiers to the complainants through WhatsApp and offered to sell them goods at cheap prices and sought online transfer of money as courier charges."

"However, they neither supplied the promised goods nor refunded the money collected from customers," the police officer said.

The Crime Branch is investigating the case, he added.