Rakesh Gupta, a Panchkula-based businessman, lost Rs 1.9 lakh due to cyber fraud perpetrated by crooks posing as UltraTech Cement Limited officials. The event, which happened in late July, is the second incidence recorded in Panchkula within a week.
Rakesh Gupta, a resident of Sector 21, Panchkula, informed police on July 26 that he had been looking for UltraTech Cement dealership opportunities online. The next day, he received a WhatsApp message from someone claiming to represent ‘UltraTech Cement Private Limited.’ The message offered to make him a dealer with an upfront payment of ₹3.36 lakh and a 5% discount.
Believing the offer to be legitimate, Gupta was provided with an account number and instructed to transfer the funds. On July 29, he made a partial payment of ₹1.9 lakh. However, after making the payment, Gupta began receiving persistent calls from the fraudsters, pressuring him to complete the remaining payment. Sensing something was amiss, Gupta grew suspicious and promptly reported the matter to the police.
An FIR has been filed under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 319(2) (impersonation for cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Cyber Crime Police Station located at Sector-12 in Panchkula. An investigation is underway to catch the culprits who committed this crime.
This is the second documented incidence of similar cyber fraud in Panchkula in just a week. On August 19, a contractor with the military engineering services filed a complaint after being scammed of ₹2.17 lakh by hackers who offered to sell cement at reduced costs.
The Panchkula police have advised people to be careful when conducting business online and to verify the authenticity of any proposals they get. Authorities are working to improve awareness and prevent future crimes as the cybercrime rate continues to increase.
