TV
A woman entrepreneur from Bhubaneswar was allegedly duped of over Rs 14.55 lakh by cyber fraudsters posing as garment suppliers through a fake mobile application and WhatsApp groups.
According to reports, the woman had approached the Cyber Police in April after she was promised wholesale garments at a 50 percent discount through a so-called garment supply app.
Despite transferring substantial amounts in multiple tranches, she did not receive any delivery. Police said the accused created fake apps and groups to lure buyers and collect money without supplying goods.
Following an investigation into her complaint, the Cyber Police arrested three accused from Surat.
The investigation, based on account and transaction data, led police to Surat, where they detained three suspects with the assistance of Kamrej Police Station. All three reportedly had low educational qualifications and were operating the scam with basic technical tools.
Rs 14.55 Lakh Taken in Multiple Payments
According to police, the fraudsters looted a total of Rs 14,55,000 through various payment methods under the pretext of providing bulk garments at discounted rates.
After collecting the money, they allegedly stopped responding to the victim and deactivated communication channels.
“The complainant was looking for suppliers for her garment shop on Justdial but was duped by cyber fraudsters who contacted her via phone and WhatsApp, promising cheap materials. She ended up transferring over Rs 14.55 lakh to their accounts. Following her complaint, investigators tracked the accused to Gujarat and arrested three individuals,” informed Akshaya Nayak, SP, Bhubaneswar Cyber-Crime branch.
Eight-State Network Suspected
The case has also revealed that the same gang may have defrauded people in at least eight states using similar tactics.
Police are now examining digital footprints and bank transactions to trace additional victims and potential associates. Authorities have not ruled out further arrests or the possibility of seeking remand for detailed interrogation.
