A 38-year-old police officer in Bengaluru allegedly lost Rs 57,000 after falling victim to a fraudulent Facebook advertisement offering a Maruti Swift at a significantly low price.
The officer, a resident of Hulimavu, told Electronics City police that he came across the Facebook post on June 30. He contacted the seller, who claimed that the car was available for sale and would be transported from Delhi after an advance payment was made.
Trusting the seller, the officer transferred Rs 57,000 to the bank account provided by the accused. However, after receiving the payment, the seller became unreachable and the Facebook post was deleted.
Suspecting that he had been cheated, the officer contacted the cybercrime helpline 1930. Following the complaint, the beneficiary bank account was frozen to prevent the funds from being withdrawn.
The officer subsequently filed a formal complaint with the Electronics City police seeking recovery of the money. Police have initiated an investigation to identify the accused and trace the transaction.
The incident highlights the risks of purchasing vehicles through unverified social media advertisements. Fraudsters often lure victims with unusually low prices and then demand advance payments before disappearing.
