Imposters threaten AP ration dealers, demand money
Ration dealers in Andhra Pradesh have been receiving unsolicited phone calls in what appears to be a new type of fraud
AMARAVATI: Ration dealers in Andhra Pradesh have been receiving unsolicited phone calls in what appears to be a new type of fraud. During the calls, the imposters, claiming to be survey officers, are demanding money for the distribution of pulses and sugar to respective ration shops.
The unidentified fraudsters, posing as civil supplies department officers, have been trying to dupe the rations dealers by threatening to stop the distribution of pulses and sugar to the PDS shops in the state.
As part of their modus operandi, the miscreants are demanding the gullible ration shop dealers to deposit money in their bank accounts and warn them of facing the law if they fail to comply with their orders.
Panicking, the ration dealers have reportedly brought the matter to the notice of officials concerned in the Civil Supplies Department besides alerting ration dealers association president Mandadi Venkata Rao. The officials, while advising the dealers to not fall in the trap to pay money, asked them to report the matter to the ASO and the DSO if they continue to get threatening calls.
Meanwhile, Mandadi Venkata Rao, speaking to the media, termed it a fraud and asked the dealers not to worry about it. He advised the ration dealers not to give their details to unknown callers.