CUTTACK: Cyber Crime police on Tuesday arrested a 38-year-old fraudster for his alleged involvement in duping a person of `3.80 lakh on the pretext of selling a second-hand car.
The accused was identified as Suvendra Rout alias Rinku of Bhubaneswar. As per police, Rinku along with his associates posing as recovery agents dealing in finance-defaulted vehicles contacted the 25-year-old buyer on Facebook Marketplace on the pretext of selling a second-hand Hyundai i20 car.
They allegedly induced the complainant to purchase the vehicle and collected the full amount of `3.80 lakh through digital payments and bank transfers. However, after receiving the money, the accused failed to deliver the vehicle and subsequently became unreachable, said police.
After receiving complaint from the victim on August 10, police registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS and Information Technology Act, 2000, and launched an investigation.
The probe revealed the vehicle had not been sold to the complainant and was lying in the stockyard. “Analysis of the available digital and financial evidences helped the investigating team in identifying and arresting the accused,” said a senior CB official.
He said further investigation was underway to track the money trail, and identify and trace the other accused involved in the case.
Meanwhile, police have urged citizens to remain cautious while buying vehicles through Facebook Marketplace and other social media platforms.
