Delhi cyber crime police have busted a gang that duped over 1,000 people in the online Ola Scam. At least twenty people have been arrested for their role in the scam. The Police made arrests in Bengaluru, Gurugram and Patna.
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Devesh Mahla, the gang had duped over 1,000 persons on the pretext of selling electric scooters. The scam first came to light on October 7, 2022, when an FIR was filed for cheating.
Modus Operandi of the scam
Two persons made a fake website for Ola scooters, and they preyed on anyone who wanted to buy the scooter. After unsuspecting customers uploaded details, they would share their mobile numbers and other information with others involved in the scam. These members would then call up the victims and ask them to pay a booking amount of INR 499.
After some time, they would again ask for a payment of INR 60,000-70,000 towards insurance and transportation charges. The gang would then take the money and not deliver the scooter.
How the scam came to light
One customer was looking to book an Ola scooter, but he wanted a finance option. The App wasn’t allowing booking in the case of the finance option. He received a call from the gang, and they explained to him the offline booking process and asked him to pay INR 499 as the booking amount.
Post that, they sent him fake finance schemes of Ola Money and generated a down payment link of INR 30,000. The victim paid this amount, and the scamsters said it would be done. However, he later received an email saying the sanctioned amount was INR 72,000 and was asked to pay the remaining amount.
The accused also asked for INR 13,000 towards delivery charges so that the scooter could be dispatched the same day.
The Delhi cyber crime police have arrested 20 people in connection with the Ola scooter scam.
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