Tipplers in the district were sold a pipe dream after some unscrupulous elements made a fake post in the social media claiming that the premium liquor outlet of the Kerala State Co-operative Consumers’ Federation Ltd, also known as Consumerfed, in the city will deliver all liquor brands at doorstep.
The post, which was widely shared in the social media, bore a profile by the name ‘Consumerfed Foreign Liquor Shop Kochi’ forcing the agency to come up with a clarification that there was no such move and that the news was indeed fake. The post even claimed to accept round-the-clock online payment and carried a contact number.
“The fake post came to our notice on Friday and we lodged a complaint with the Kadavanthra police on Saturday. We were told that the number was traced to Rajasthan,” said Consumerfed Managing Director Mohammed Rafique.
The police registered a case invoking among other IPC Section 471 (fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document which he knows or has reason to believe to be a forged document) and relevant sections of the IT Act.
“So far, no one has complained of getting cheated after making online payment. We are trying to trace whether the fraud had any local links since the number was traced to Rajasthan,” said Sabuji Mas, Station House Officer, Kadavanthra.
All liquor outlets, including that of Consumerfed, have been remaining closed since March 25 on account of the nationwide lockdown.
The City Police had warned of a surge in online frauds in the wake of the lockdown.