TOI
Ahmedabad : A city-based oil trader was allegedly cheated of Rs 20 lakh by a fraudster who posed as a representative of an Andhra Pradesh-based fuel company and promised to supply 30 tonnes of distilled oil. The trader received a customer order on May 28 and contacted a business acquaintance to find a supplier, according to the complaint. The caller allegedly informed him that 30,230 litres of distilled oil were available and assured delivery within a few days of placing the order. The consignment was valued at about Rs 33 lakh, and the trader was asked to pay an advance of Rs 10 lakh. Believing the offer to be genuine, the trader transferred Rs 10 lakh through RTGS in June to a bank account shared via WhatsApp . The next day, he transferred another Rs 10 lakh to the same account after being told that the material had been loaded onto a vehicle and that transport documents would be provided after the second payment. After several assurances, the accused sent an e-way bill over WhatsApp on June 8.
The trader refused and said payment would be made only after the bill was provided. The driver’s contact details were never shared, and repeated calls to the alleged supplier went unanswered, according to the complaint. He was subsequently directed to a company profile listed on an online shopping platform. After contacting the number mentioned on the profile, he spoke to a person who claimed that distilled oil was available for supply. The alleged supplier later demanded the remaining amount, including transportation charges, before issuing a bill. However, the trader grew suspicious after examining the document and asked for the driver’s mobile number.
Despite repeated efforts, neither the promised oil consignment nor the Rs 20 lakh paid was recovered. The trader later realised he may have fallen victim to a fake online business profile.
He contacted the cybercrime helpline 1930 in July and received an acknowledgement number. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Ahmedabad | Silver Rate in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Petrol Price in Ahmedabad | Diesel Price in Ahmedabad | CNG Price in Ahmedabad | LPG Price in Ahmedabad Stay updated with the latest Ahmedabad news. Download the TOI App.
A complaint was registered on Friday against the unidentified individual allegedly operating the fake company profile, the holder of the recipient bank account and others who may be identified during the investigation.