Angul businessman duped of Rs 4 lakh in fake dealership cyber fraud

A businessman from Jarasingha village in Odisha’s Angul district was allegedly cheated of Rs 4 lakh by cyber fraudsters who lured him with a fake dealership offer. The victim, identified as Prakash Chandra Behera, has lodged a complaint at the Angul Cyber Police Station, seeking action against those involved.

According to the complaint, Prakash had applied for a dealership of Ather Energy Limited in Angul. Soon after submitting his application, he was contacted by unknown persons who claimed to be representatives of the company. They allegedly demanded money towards registration, processing charges and licence fees to complete the dealership formalities.

Believing the claims to be genuine, the businessman transferred a total of Rs 4 lakh to bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. However, after receiving the money, the accused stopped responding to his calls and messages. On attempting to verify the details independently, Prakash realised that he had been duped.

Following the incident, he approached the cyber police and filed a formal complaint. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the accused and recover the money.

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The incident once again highlights the rising cases of cyber fraud in Odisha. Police have urged the public to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of dealership offers and online transactions before making any payments.