Delhi Police apprehended a suspect involved in an organized online shopping fraud scheme that targeted people through deceptive Facebook ads offering discounted branded suits and sarees. The arrest followed a cyber fraud complaint from a Delhi resident who reported being swindled of Rs 49,963 in multiple online transactions after being lured by attractive ads on Facebook. The fraudsters, after gaining the victim’s interest, convinced her to transfer money for order booking and delivery charges, only to cut off communication and block her once payment was made.
A case was registered under FIR No. 19/2026 at Cyber PS Shahdara based on the complaint, leading to an immediate investigation. A specialized police team, led by Inspector Vinit Kumar and comprising Head Constables Dharmendra Rathi, Bikash Kumar, and Sandeep Khokar, was formed to tackle the case. The team, under the guidance of SHO Cyber PS Shahdara Vijay Kumar and ACP Operations Mohinder Singh, discovered that the accused were running a cyber fraud operation from Loharwadi village in Rajasthan’s Alwar district.
The fraudsters utilized fake promotional videos, Facebook profiles, mule bank accounts, and dedicated SIM cards for their illicit activities. After extensive technical analysis and surveillance, the police successfully apprehended the main suspect, identified as Sarup Khan, a 33-year-old resident of Loharwadi. Investigations revealed that the suspect’s bank account was linked to other complaints totaling nearly Rs 60,000, and the recovered SIM cards were associated with various cyber fraud cases.
The accused were part of an organized cyber fraud syndicate that orchestrated online shopping scams through fake ads on social media, particularly Facebook. They would create fake profiles, upload deceptive ads offering products at discounted rates, and deceive victims into transferring money for orders and delivery. The ill-gotten funds were distributed among gang members through multiple channels to conceal their identities and avoid detection by law enforcement agencies. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other accomplices involved in the scam.
