Second-year student from Mumbai duped of Rs1.06 lakh in case of cyber fraud

The complainant sought to buy five iPhones in wholesale from a Chinese e-commerce website and sell them in retail.

A 19-year-old was duped of ₹1.06 lakh in a case of cyberfraud while trying to purchase five iPhones from a seller operating on a Chinese multinational e-commerce website. The accused asked the buyer to pay the amount as processing fee, custom fee, and delivery charges. The Khar police registered a first information report last week and further probe is on.

Over the course of two weeks, the complainant was asked to transfer money several times, under the pretext of processing, customs and delivery fees. (Representational photo)

The complainant is a second-year degree student and resides with his mother, who is a college teacher, in Khar (West), said police. He intended to purchase the iPhone X mobiles in wholesale and sell them in retail. Through the e-commerce website, he got in touch with the cyber fraudster, posing as one Richard Alwin. The two exchanged email IDs and phone numbers.

Over the course of two weeks, ‘Alwin’ asked the complainant to transfer money several times, under the pretext of processing, customs and delivery fees. When the fraudster continued to demand more money, the complainant realised that he had been duped. He noted that the transfers had all been made to different bank accounts in Bangalore and Madhya Pradesh. The fraudster has been booked under provisions of the IPC and IT Act.