The Cyber Crime Police arrested Rahul Kumar (33) from Patna on Sunday for orchestrating a Rs1 crore scam involving fake franchise dealership websites. The arrest followed an extensive investigation into a fraud ring that duped individuals by posing as representatives of reputed automobile companies.
According to Brijesh Yadav, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Cyber Police Station, the gang operated by creating convincing websites that mimicked well-known car brands. These fraudulent sites were promoted through search engines and social media to lure people searching for franchise or dealership opportunities.
“The targets were approached and persuaded to pay substantial sums under the guise of registration and security deposits for car dealership franchises,” said Yadav. “The money was funneled through multiple bank accounts and quickly withdrawn to avoid detection.”
The scam came to light on July 19 when a victim reported being defrauded of over Rs1 crore after applying for a dealership through what appeared to be a legitimate website. He made the payments in several installments, only to later discover the entire setup was a scam.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, which deals with impersonation and fraud using computer resources.
A special investigation team led by Inspector-in-Charge Brijesh Kumar Yadav traced the money trail and located Rahul Kumar in Patna. He was arrested on Saturday and brought to the city for further interrogation. Authorities are now working to identify other members of the cyber fraud network.
