A duo from Rajasthan has been arrested for a major e-commerce scam, where they used fake identities and manipulated delivery processes to loot high-value items from Amazon, including Sony cameras and iPhones. The total value of their stolen goods is estimated to be over Rs 1.29 crore, and they are believed to have defrauded Amazon and other e-commerce platforms across multiple states in India.
The fraud unfolded in Mangaluru on September 21, when the accused placed an order worth Rs 11,45,000 for two Sony cameras and 10 other items from Amazon, using fake details under the name ‘Amith.’ They provided a fake delivery address near the KSRTC bus stand and scheduled the delivery for the same.
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Upon arrival, one of the accused distracted the delivery executive, while the other swapped out stickers of the Sony camera boxes with other items in the order, reports Deccan Herald. To further delay the process, the duo made sure to provide a wrong OTP, causing a delay in confirming the delivery. They convinced the delivery executive to return the next day.
When the executive came back, the duo had already kept the cameras, while the rest of the items were returned. They promptly cancelled the order for the cameras, keeping them for resale. This trick was discovered when Amazon’s delivery partner, Mahindra Logistics, examined the swapped stickers and alerted the e-commerce giant.
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The police, after a detailed investigation, arrested Raj Kumar Meena (23) and Subhash Gurjar (27). Meena, who was already involved in a similar scam in Salem, was initially caught by the Salem Police before being handed over to the Urwa Police in Mangaluru. Gurjar was arrested later in Mangaluru. Their pattern of ordering high-value electronics across multiple states led to the discovery of similar fraud cases in Assam, Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala.
The police have seized Rs 11,45,000 in cash from the duo, which they obtained from selling the stolen goods. The total value of goods defrauded in these cases is over Rs 1.29 crore, and the accused face multiple charges. Their operation involved 11 separate cases across India, using fraudulent orders for expensive items.