A 37-year-old Panvel resident was duped by a Facebook friend while exporting a commodity to UAE. The fraudster had first ordered the commodity and then sent a fake payment receipt. The victim had come to know about the fraudster in an export and import group on Facebook.
Police said that the complainant has been in export and import for the last two years and he is a member of a group on Facebook.
In May 2020, the complainant had connected with Santosh Pawar in the Facebook group who needed onion and other products to be delivered in the UAE. The complainant enquired through WhatsApp message and also verified through a person who works in Andheri. After ensuring that Pawar is a genuine person, he bought 29 tons of onion of Rs 2.82 lakh from Nasik and sent it through a logistic company in a container. The total cost of procuring and sending the commodity, the complainant spent Rs 4.75 lakh.
On May 25, Pawar promised him to make payment through Telegraphic Transfer on assured. The next day, Pawar sent him a receipt of Telegraphic Transfer. The complainant checked with the bank and found out it was fake and even there was no credit in his bank account.
“When he tried to contact Pawar, he started avoiding him,” said a police official from Panvel City police station. The complainant then realized that he was duped by Pawar.
Following a complaint, Panvel City police registered a case of cheating under section 420 of IPC and 66 c and 66 d of the Revised IT Act.