Cons offer cheap US dollars, deliver paper bundle instead
A 31-year-old bouncer was duped to the tune of Rs3 lakh by a gang of fraudsters who promised to give him US dollars at much cheaper than the prevailing market price.
The man was however handed over a bundle packed in a plastic bag, which later turned out to be pieces of newspaper.
According to the police, the complainant, a resident of Goregaon, was contacted on December 14 by a person who sells coconut water in the vicinity of the complainant’s workplace and is known to the man. The accused told the complainant that he was in need of money for the medical treatment of his cousin and he had 6,000 US dollars which he could sell for Rs50 per dollar instead of Rs83 market price.
BOUNCER LOSES `3L
As the victim agreed, the fraudster convinced him to meet him at an isolated place at Turbhe, Navi Mumbai on December 15. The accused was accompanied by four other persons, the victim was accompanied by his friend, police said.
While the complainant and the accused were talking, two more persons who were part of the accused’s gang arrived at the spot posing as outsiders. The two then started asking in a loud voice as to what the victim and fraudster were doing at the said place.
The complainant and fraudster then threw packets they were carrying at each other and fled from the spot. Later when the victim checked the packet he was handed over by the fraudster, he was shocked to know that it had a bundle of newspapers cut in the size of currency notes. Having realised that he had been duped, the man approached the police and got an offence registered. The police have launched a manhunt to trace the seven suspects involved.