First arrest made in housing portal scam, 3 held for duping 8 customers

The Indian Express had earlier reported how after matrimonial and job portals, cyber fraudsters were duping people on housing portals either by posing as potential buyers or those wanting to put out their flats on rent. The police are checking if the three accused arrested now are linked to the other modus operandi as well.

DCP Datta Nalawade said that an FIR was registered on March 7 by the Kandivali police where a 23-year-old person was duped by fraudsters on a housing portal.

The complainant said that he was looking for houses on rent on heavy deposit basis in the Mira Road area. He saw an advertisement on the portal by one Global Home Best Services. He contacted the person whose number had been mentioned in the advertisement.

A person responded to him and claimed to be an estate agent. He then sent him photographs of houses in Mira Road, Vasai, Nallasopara. After the complainant selected a particular flat, the other accused pretending to be the homeowner asked him to make a payment in various bank accounts.

The complainant ended up paying Rs 22.31 lakh to various accounts after which the ‘broker’ and “flat owner” stopped responding to him. Realizing he had been duped, he approached the police and the North region cyber unit started probing the matter.

Inspector Kiran Aher said that based on technical investigation, they arrested three persons identified as Shiva Shukala alias Haushila (27) and Vishal Yadav (29) from Nallasopara and one Yogesh Karvat (55) from Vasai.

An officer said that apart from this modus operandi, another way fraudsters are duping people on housing portals is by approaching them as potential buyers and tricking them into making payments. The police said they are checking if the same accused are involved in those scams as well.