Mobile customers duped of Rs 20 lakh

For the past one year, two former employees of a telecom major went on to cheat several innocent customers by providing them non-existent tariff plans.

For the past one year, two former employees of a telecom major went on to cheat several innocent customers by providing them non-existent tariff plans.

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They used to lure the customers by providing them attractive but non-existent tariff plans and sent their representatives to collect the payment. On an average they cheated five customers in a day and made Rs 20 lakh in the process.

On Tuesday their luck ran out when the Crime Branch arrested the two men — Naresh (25) Yogesh (27) — from Rohini in northwest Delhi.

A telecom major had filed a complaint with the Crime Branch alleging that cheats were duping their customers by offering them non-existent tariff plans posing as genuine officials of the company.

“These persons were taking money from their victims on the pretext of subscribing to a new tariff plan on their existing connections. The usual offer was a new tariff plan, which offered 300 minutes free talk time and 300 SMSes per month for just Rs 999 and was to cover as an advance rental for 3 years,” said Satyendra Garg, additional commissioner of police (crime).

The duo would call up customers and offer the plan. Police said the accused hired men on a monthly basis to collect the cheques from customers.

“When customers called up the contact numbers to complain their plans had not been activated, the phones were switched off or not answered,” the officer added.

While Naresh had worked as a recovery agent with the phone company, Yogesh worked as a collection agent.

The police have seized fake receipt booklets and customer data forms with the phone company’s logo from the accused.