A racket where mobile phone users are informed, either through an ‘sms’, or a direct call, that they are the winners of a car, from a draw carried out by a leading mobile phone company, and asked to deposit the related tax to an account nominated by the caller/’sms’, to collect the vehicle, has been unearthed by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The sums to deposit varied from Rs. 17,000 to Rs. 50,000. There were others who were told to deposit reloads up to Rs. 8,000, to a particular mobile number to claim the prize.
The sum varied, depending on the person called.
As soon as the money was deposited, the phone from which the calls/’sms’ originated was disconnected.
The CID went into action after the mobile phone company officials informed it that some of their subscribers had fallen victim to a racket.
To date, the CID has received 13 complaints, where some subscribers had deposited Rs. 50,000 each to collect the prize.
Investigations have revealed an underworld gang’s involvement in the operation, collecting over Rs. 6 million for the past six months.
The chief suspect has been taken into custody. |
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