A 71-year-old engineer residing in Pune recently fell prey to cyber fraudsters, losing a staggering sum of Rs 1.38 lakhs in an elaborate online scam involving the purchase of an electric bike. The victim, hailing from Pune Camp, was deceived by fraudulent tactics employed by the perpetrators, prompting a swift response from law enforcement authorities.
The distressing incident came to light when the victim lodged a complaint with the Lashkar police station, formally registering a First Information Report (FIR) to document the fraudulent transaction. Sub Inspector Mahendra Kamble, tasked with investigating the case, provided insights into the modus operandi utilized by the cybercriminals to perpetrate the scam.
According to Kamble, the victim initially made a booking for the electric bike through a website named ‘simple energy book’ in 2021. Subsequently, the victim attempted to verify the status of the order by contacting the contact numbers listed on the website. However, instead of receiving legitimate assistance, the victim fell prey to deceptive tactics employed by individuals posing as employees of the electric bike company.
“These individuals instructed the victim to make payments via bank transfers, purportedly to expedite the delivery process,” explained Kamble. Tragically, the victim complied with the instructions and proceeded to transfer funds on three separate occasions to different bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. Despite the significant monetary transactions, the victim never received the promised electric vehicle.
As outlined in the FIR, the victim incurred a substantial loss amounting to Rs 1,38,552 as a result of the fraudulent online transactions. Law enforcement agencies have initiated a thorough investigation into the matter, actively pursuing leads to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for orchestrating the scam.
