Bhubaneswar: Many online buyers in the city are now falling prey to the cyber criminals, who are floating fake advertisements online for home delivery of liquor.
In a recent incident, an elderly person, who lost Rs 2.50 lakh to the cyber criminals by ordering liquor online, has filed a case with Balianta police.
According to sources, the complainant, a resident Metro Satellite City at Puri Canal Road in Hanspal area, came across an advertisement on a website about home delivery of liquor by a reputed wine shop located at Cuttack Road. He contacted on the phone number given on the advertisement to place an order online for home delivery of wine.
Later, the accused, identified as Bhagat, contacted the elderly person through a different phone number. He told Bhagat to avail him wine of some big brands worth Rs 2.40 lakh. Subsequently, the crook asked the complainant to deposit the money through online banking, paytm and other online modes. However, the phone numbers were found switched off after payment was made by the complainant.
Acting on the complaint, Balianta police started an investigation into the matter after registering a case (97/20).
Similarly, a non-Odia lady had reportedly come to a police station in the city to lodge a similar complaint, but she had a second thought and returned back.
Notably, three persons in Khandagiri, one each from Cuttack Road and Nayapalli have also registered separate cases with the police alleging that they were swindled by the cyber criminals.