Thirteen people have been arrested for allegedly cheating an electronics retail chain in Hyderabad of Rs 4 crore by using UPI as a mode of payment and then lodging a complaint with the bank to reverse the amount. Police have seized Rs 1.72 lakh in cash and electronic goods worth over Rs 50 lakh.
Bajaj Electronics, which owns a chain of showrooms, had lodged fraud and cheating cases at multiple police stations in Cyberabad, Hyderabad, Rachakonda and other areas.
During the investigation, police identified the same modus operandi in these multiple case. They found that a group visited these showrooms and chose home appliances for purchase. At the time of the payment, they shared the showroom's UPI scanner with an accomplice based in Rajasthan. The accomplice then transferred the amount and the gang members left with the appliance. Soon after, the accomplice who paid the amount filed a chargeback complaint with the bank — such a complaint is filed after a disputed transaction. Following this complaint, the transaction would be reversed and the gang would get back the money they paid for the appliance.
The probe revealed that at least 13 members in the 20-25 years age group were part of this gang. Some of them stayed in Hyderabad while the others were in Rajasthan.
The gang, the police found, would sell the appliances and split the profits.
Those arrested in the case include SomRaj, Sunil, Sharwan, Somraj, Shivalal, Ramesh, Shrawan, Pappu Ram, Shravan, Rakesh, Ramesh and Ashok Kumar.
