In several areas of Gujarat, including Radhanpur, Sami, Santalpur and Bhabhar in Patan and Banaskantha, an organized gang is running a scam to defraud people of expensive mobile phones. Over the past two months, more than 100 mobile phones are reportedly to have been obtained through this method in Patan and Banaskantha.
Regarding the scam, the Radhanpur Mobile Association and affected traders have filed a written complaint with the police. The scammers operate in such a way that ordinary traders fall into their trap, and by the time they realize they have been cheated, the scammers have sold the phones and disappeared.
In this scheme, the scammers use the documents of unsuspecting people or lure them with money to purchase expensive mobile phones on EMI, then disappear with the phones. The person who provided the documents is left responsible for the entire loan repayment and all legal liabilities.
Merchant Went to Customers’ Homes When Mobile Installments Were Not Paid
Merchant Hardik Thakkar investigated after installments for 11 mobile phones sold in June were not paid. When he visited the customers’ homes, he found that they did not even have the phones. The phones had been taken out in their names after paying them Rs 5,000.
As finance companies and banks began putting increasing pressure on merchants because the EMIs for the phones they had sold were not being paid, and their money became stuck, they approached the police. The police are investigating the matter.
Phones Taken on Loan Have a Locking System
When purchasing a phone on loan, the finance company’s ‘Device Admin’ security app is installed on the phone. This app is linked to the phone’s IMEI number. If the installments are not paid, a signal is sent from the app’s server to lock access to the mobile’s system. The fraudsters used to get the phones updated by preparing fake bills in the name of another shop.
