Mumbai: The cyber fraudsters continue to use the COVID-19 pandemic as a tool to dupe people. A 39-year-old man from Mahalaxmi was duped of Rs 41,500 while desperately searching for a COVID-19 medicine. Cyber fraudsters lured him into a trap by promising him to deliver the medicine and duped him.
In the last week of April, the complainant working for a private firm was searching for Actemra (brand name of Tocilizumab) injection for his friend who was suffering from COVID-19 and was admitted to Jain hospital in Goregaon. He tried many medical stores and hospitals but was not able to get the medicine. Later one of his colleagues provided him a number of some Vani pharmacy and claimed that the medicine was available there.
The complainant checked the number with an e-commerce portal and found the same number, the complainant immediately tried calling but could not connect. He then tried calling on their WhatsApp failing which he sent a WhatsApp message and enquired about the availability.
The complainant then received a reply from one Abdul who claimed to be representative of the pharmacy which is located in Tamil Nadi said Abdul and also confirmed the availability of Actemra.
He said the one injection would cost around ₹27, 000 and delivery charges ₹2,000 extra. The complainant placed an order of three injections and paid ₹41,500 as Abdul asked him to pay half the price. Next day when the complainant tried contacting him all his calls went unanswered, it was then he realised that he had been duped and approached the police.
We have registered an offence of online cheating and our investigation is underway, we urge the people to not to fell for such traps and refrain from paying online before delivery, said an officer from Agripada police station.
