A 25-year-old man from Bihar, identified as Raushan Kumar, was apprehended on Friday in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, for allegedly scamming individuals through fake advertisements on social media, portraying himself as a wholesale trader of machine tools and spare parts.
The accused would present counterfeit invoices from reputed firms in Raipur to his victims, as per Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey.
The investigation initiated when Amzad Ali reported being defrauded of Rs 5.7 lakh by Kumar for purportedly selling machine parts.
Ali detailed paying Rs 5,70,050 across five transactions for various fees, including advance payments, packaging, and transportation. Despite receiving invoices, courier receipts, and acknowledgments from Kumar, he allegedly never received the promised tools.
Authorities discovered that Kumar had defrauded more than 20 individuals in the past year, amassing Rs 20 lakh.
Upon his arrest, seven mobile phones, seven SIM cards, four ATM cards, forged stamps, and other falsified documents were confiscated.
A case has been registered under sections 420, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code at the district’s cyber police station. (With inputs from PTI)
