2 calls, 2 victims: Rs 9.71 lakh lost in online gift-card fraud

Two people from Pune have been duped in separate online fraud cases. In both the cases the accused duped the persons under the pretext of winning a car. The cases

Two people from Pune have been duped in separate online fraud cases. In both the cases the accused duped the persons under the pretext of winning a car. The cases have been lodged at Bharati Vidyapeth and Kondhwa police stations on Saturday.

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In May, a 53-year-old Bibwewadi resident received a call from an unidentified person who said that she had won a Maruti Alto car in a lucky draw held by an online shopping portal. The person asked her to spend Rs 2,53,905 towards Services Tax (GST), no-objection certificate (NOC), car insurance and income tax, according to the complaint.

The amount was deposited by the complainant to multiple accounts between May 25 and June 12. A case has been registered at Bharati Vidyapeth police station, said police.

In September, a 38-year-old Kondhwa resident received a call from an unidentified person who told him that he had won a gift from an online money transfer portal. The caller told the complainant that he could chose between Rs 12,60,000 cash or a Hyundai Creta car. In order to receive the cash gift, the caller asked the complainant to transfer Rs 7,17,350, according to the complaint.

In both the matters, cases against unidentified account holders has been registered. While the Kondhwa case was under Sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (punishment for cheating) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 66(c) of Information Technology Act, the case at Bharti Vidyapeeth is under Sections 419, 420, 34 of IPC and Sections 66(c) and 66(d) of IT Act.