Driver tries to buy second hand scooter online, loses Rs 97,000

A 36-year-old man who tried to buy a second hand Activa scooter for Rs 25,000 online, was tricked into paying Rs 97,000 by a cyber-fraudster. An FIR was registered at the Khar police station on September 6.

According to the police, the 36-year-old driver, who is a Khar resident, saw an advertisement on an online market place on September 3 for a second-hand scooter for Rs 25,000. He did not know that the advertisement was fake and uploaded by a cyber-fraudster.

He called on the number given in the advertisement and the fraudster said that he wants to sell the scooter urgently and since he has got several calls from potential customers, he will have to send an advance payment to book it.

The complainant sent Rs 15,000 as advance payment and said he will send rest of the money after getting the scooter. On September 4, he received a phone call from another fraudster posing as courier service man who said he is coming to deliver the scooter but he will have to pay the transportation charges.

After paying the transportation charges of Rs 5,000, the fraudster kept asking for more money. The complainant paid another Rs 7,000 but the fraud asked for more money. He then called up the fraudster who posed as the seller and demanded his money back.

The fraudster who posed as seller said he is ready to pay back the money and sent him two collect requests on an e-wallet. The complainant did not realise that the link sent to him was actually to withdraw money and not to send money. In a hurry, he clicked on the links and a total of Rs 70,000 got withdrawn.

In all, he got duped of Rs 97,000 after which both the mobiles were switched off by the fraudsters. He then approached the Khar police station.

First Published: Sep 16, 2019 13:50 IST