Online fraud; How two youths were duped of Rs 1.6 lakh by Facebook advertisement of generators

VIKARABAD: Two young people from Tandur of Vikarabad district lost Rs 1.60 lakh to an unknown online fraudster who made them believe that he was a seller of generators.

B Praveen Kumar of Marepalli Tanda and Srinulu of Mansanpalli Tanda of Peddemul mandal purchased a DJ (Disc Jockey) system for Rs 22 lakh and were looking for a suitable generator to operate the system even in the absence of power.

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During their search for the generator to operate the DJ system, they found an advertisement on Facebook published by one merchant from Pune. They called the mobile number provided in the advertisement. One person named Ramesh Ramakanth Durve received the call and offered them a suitable generator for Rs 1.80 lakh. The duo then paid him Rs 1.60 lakh in eight installments through Google Pay and Phone Pay. Durve made them believe that the generator had been dispatched from Pune and the vehicle would reach them within a couple of days.

When the vehicle failed to reach Tandur even after a week they suspected fraud and urged one of their relatives living in Pune to check the address. To their dismay, there was no such generator-selling shop but a ring road.

However, on January 26, 2024, Durve demanded the balance amount of Rs 20,000 and assured them that the generator would reach them very soon. Realising that Durve had taken them for a ride, they approached the local police. Cybercrime police registered a case and started their investigation.