A 53-year-old businessman from Secunderabad, Telangana, was allegedly cheated of Rs 75,000 by a man at the Hyderabad airport on the promise of selling him two iPhones at a heavily discounted price. The incident, which occurred earlier this week, came to light after the victim registered a complaint at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport police station.
According to officials from RGIA police station, the complaint was filed by Gyam Alfred, a resident of Mettuguda in Secunderabad. In his statement, Alfred said the accused first approached him at his soft drink shop located at Secunderabad railway station on Tuesday, according to a Deccan Chronicle report.
The unidentified accused reportedly introduced himself as a Customs officer working at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. He claimed that he had two iPhones and some gold items in his possession and was willing to sell them at a low price. Believing the offer to be genuine, Alfred agreed to buy two iPhones for Rs 1 lakh. As instructed by the accused, he went to the departure area of the airport around noon to complete the deal. At the meeting spot, Alfred initially handed over Rs 70,000 in cash, the report added.
The accused then demanded an additional Rs 5,000, taking the total payment to Rs 75,000. After receiving the money, he reportedly told Alfred that he would return shortly with the iPhones. However, the accused left the area and did not come back.
Realising that he had been cheated, Alfred approached the police and lodged a complaint. Based on his statement, the RGIA police registered a case of cheating against the unidentified person. Police officials said that an investigation is currently underway to identify and trace the accused, as per the Deccan Chronicle report.
Efforts are also being made to recover the money that was handed over during the transaction. Police officials have advised the public to remain cautious and avoid falling prey to such fraudulent offers, especially when approached by unknown individuals claiming to be government officials. They have also urged citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity or persons to the nearest police station.
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