If you're buying a second-hand car through an application or website, stay alert. You might fall victim to fraud. Junagadh police have nabbed an individual who duped both buyers and sellers using such platforms. He scammed a total of 42 car deals, amounting to 17.3 million rupees.
Piyush Patel, a former government teacher from Mehsana, used OLX and Car-24 apps to reach out to individuals interested in buying and selling cars. Upon finalizing deals, he transferred funds into his account and switched off his phone. SP Subodh Odedara communicated that a person named Dhaval Patel negotiated a car deal through Car-24, collected 2.25 lakh rupees, and then became unreachable.
Investigation revealed Piyush Patel assumed the alias of Dhaval Patel. He struck a deal for a Swift car belonging to a Junagadh doctor at 3.5 lakh, enticing buyers with a price of 2.25 lakh. After extracting money from the buyer, he vanished, leaving them confused. To date, he has executed 11 such car deals through fraudulent means.
Former Showroom Operator
In police interrogation, the accused confessed that he once ran a car showroom for Shrevalok Company. The financial losses sustained due to its closure during the pandemic drove him to this deceitful path. He admitted to securing car deals from Ahmedabad to Botad, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, Bhuj, and Junagadh.
His modus operandi was simple: upon seeing car sale ads on OLX or Car-24, he would promptly contact the parties. By luring the buyer with low prices and the seller with higher offers, he committed fraud. Presently, the Mehsana conman has been arrested, and further investigations are underway.
