Are you looking for second-hand cars and other vehicles on online platforms? Beware! You may fall victim to online fraudsters. Just like the partners in crime portrayed in the Bollywood movie, 'Banti Aur Babli,' the Badagada Police in Bhubaneswar have detained a couple, who allegedly fleeced lakhs of rupees by trapping buyers through ads for pre-owned vehicles on online platforms.
It was alleged that by posting pictures of vehicles, the couple used to take advance payments from unsuspecting buyers and go incommunicado.
One of their victims, who was lured by the low price tag for a pre-owned car online said, “They sent me a phone number and told me to come to Kalpana Square. I saw the car and a woman was sitting inside. When I asked the man about the woman, he introduced her as his sister, who owns the car. The price of the car was finalized at Rs 3.60 lakh while its selling price stated in the online ad was Rs 4 lakh.”
"After examining the RC book, I made a payment of Rs 10,000 as advance. Then, the person asked me to pay at least Rs 25,000. After some time, I went there and caught the couple. Later several other people claimed that they were cheated similarly.”
Another youth said, “I saw an ad on OLX about the sale of a pre-owned car. I was tricked into paying Rs 20,000 for the vehicle. I saw the car at Kaplana Square. But I was still doubtful. The couple was not showing me the documents of the car owned by one Manasi Behera.”
After taking the advance, the couple used to vanish, he added.
Meanwhile, the Badagada Police has detained the couple and an investigation is underway.
No comments were received from the police on the matter.