According to SHO of the Cyber Police Station, people seeking franchise or dealership opportunities were directed to fake websites of reputed automobile companies. The fraudsters promoted these websites through search engines and social media.
Victims Deposit Heavy Amounts
According to The 420 website, Victims were convinced to deposit hefty sums as registration charges and security deposits. Before being withdrawn in cash, they were siphoned through multiple accounts.
Case Is Registered
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act. The case first surfaced on July 19, when a complainant reported being duped of more than ₹1 crore after applying for a car dealership via a seemingly genuine website.
Victims Lured Into The Racket
Wife's illness lured Rahul Kumar into the racket. Financial distress caused the resident of Patna, who had no criminal history, to resort to criminal means through coercion by an acquaintance, Nitish.
Aadhaar & PAN Details Misused
Rahul admitted that his Aadhaar and PAN details were misused by Nitish and two other associates, Abhay and Jitendra of Nawada district, to open bank accounts for routing fraudulent funds. He also confessed to signing multiple cheques on their instructions in exchange for monetary compensation.
Rahul Kumar's Background
Rahul Kumar was earlier employed as a cleaner in an educational institution. During his arrest, police recovered a mobile phone used in the operation. Authorities are now tracing other gang members, including the masterminds who ran the fake websites and handled the fraudulent transactions.
Gang Exploits Loopholes In Digital Platforms
"The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are likely as the network is much bigger. The gang exploited loopholes in digital platforms and payment systems to operate undetected," SHO said.
Lucknow Cybercrime Police
The Lucknow cybercrime police have urged citizens to verify franchise opportunities directly with official company websites and avoid relying on search engine ads or social media promotions.
