NT NETWORK
PANAJI
A woman from Tiswadi has been reportedly duped of around Rs 83.26 lakh by scamsters after luring her into a fake trade scam.
Referring to the modus operandi, the cyber crime police suspect that it could be a handiwork of an international gang involved in online frauds.
Police said that the victim woman, who is also into a business, was lured by an offer of a fictitious business deal with a multinational pharmaceutical company based in a foreign country. A complaint in this regard was lodged by S Sawant from Tiswadi against firms and persons, which appears to be fake, informed police.
The profit margin was said to be around 50 per cent, police said adding that the woman without a second thought took the bait and over a period of time deposited money in various bank accounts to the tune of Rs 83.26 lakh.
Referring to the fictitious deal, police said that some herbal liquid genetic oil had to be purchased from firms in India and later to be sold to the pharmaceutical company based in a foreign country for almost double the price. The victim woman was first contacted over a mobile messaging app from an unknown number explaining about the so-called profitable deal.
The woman would have lost more money in the scam if she was not alerted by police in the neighbouring state. The Maharashtra police during a probe in an online fraud case there came across details of cash deposit made by the woman into those accounts in question. She was called for inquiry after which she realised the fake trade fraud.
Police said that the woman could have very well prevented the scam from happening. “Why would a company ask you to purchase some raw material from firms in India and sell it to them for almost double the price? They could have directly purchased from the firms,” said police officer.
Police said that an FIR has been registered under various sections of IPC including offence under the IT act in connection with the case.
Referring to the complaint, the police said that the accused with their common intention cheated the complainant by personation using computer resources by sending electronic records in the form of Whatsapp messages, e-mail communication and by other means such as mobile phone calls over the pretext of providing business opportunity with a pharmaceutical company for the supply of sollinate herbal liquid genetic oil. The accused made her deposit an amount Rs 83,26,000 into various bank accounts for the purchase of the said material and after depositing the amount the complainant realised that it as a fraudulent venture.