Student cons laptop buyers online to pay accident claims

Cybercrime police have arrested a 20-year-old man from Delhi who allegedly cheated people online on the pretext of selling a laptop.

A team headed by Northeast CEN Crime police inspector Santosh Ram R arrested Aman Kumar from Delhi where he is a paramedical student. The team camped in Delhi for almost a week before catching Kumar with the help of the local police.

Kumar posted advertisements on OLX saying he wants to sell his laptop. He collected money from buyers on the pretext of shipping and packing charges but cheated them by sending empty packages, police said.

One of the victims, Prakash N, of Byatarayanapura, approached the police. He told the police he saw an advertisement for the sale of an iMac on OLX on May 12.

The advertiser quoted Rs 1.5 lakh. He contacted the number given in the advertisement and paid Prakash Rs 2,000 as advance. Kumar later lured him to pay more on the pretext of shopping, packing and other charges.

Prakash ended up paying him Rs 72,000 as Kumar sent him the courier receipt, parcel tracking ID and other details to convince him the iMac is on its way. But Prakash realised he was taken for a ride only after he received the empty package.

Cheated seven others

Kumar told the police he had borrowed a car from a friend. He had hit a person with the car.

When he was detained by the police, he had agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh to a victim as compensation and ensured no case against him by giving a cheque. But the cheque bounced and a case was registered against him.

He didn’t tell his parents about the accident and started arranging money on his own. He decided to cheat people in this manner as he himself was victim of an online fraud.

He confessed to having cheated seven people. Prakash was his only victim from Karnataka.