Mysuru: A new type of online fraud where e-commerce companies are cheated by claiming ‘deficiency of service’ has been reported in the city.

The modus operandi is that once the product is booked online and is delivered after payments are made, the ‘buyers’ (read conmen) call the company representatives claiming that they have got empty boxes. Worried about their reputation, e-commerce Company replaces the “empty boxes” with genuine products.

The fraud has been reported in Udayagiri Police limits where Amazon e-commerce Company’s Marketing Manager Nishanth Sharma has lodged a complaint against Venkatesh, Anand and Shashikumar, all Mysureans.  According to the complaint, the trio cheated Amazon up to the tune of Rs. 4 lakh.

The trio had floated a private company “E-commerce” and had registered with Amazon under different e-mail IDs and had opened different accounts. “E-commerce” company was floated to supply iPhones, refrigerators and other gadgets to the public. Once the company was registered, it was connected to three fictitious bank accounts to look genuine and to avoid detection.

The trio then booked an iPhone 7 that is worth Rs. 45,000. Following the product delivery notification by Amazon, the trio paid Rs. 45,000 and got the phone delivered to their address. After removing the phone from the box, they called the company officials and claimed that they had got empty iPhone box instead of the gadget. Amazon then replaced the ‘empty’ box with another brand new iPhone.

Tasting success at their fraud, the conmen ordered two more phones and other expensive gadgets by using the same modus operandi. They even threatened to file cases in Consumer Court for “service deficiency” and also threatened to send them a lawyer notice. Fearing for their reputation, Amazon replaced the products twice.

The con job was, however, caught for the third time and Amazon, through its Marketing Manager, lodged a complaint with Udayagiri Police. Inspector Santosh told SOM that cases under Section 420 of IPC and Sections 66 C and D under IT Act have been registered against the conmen who are at present absconding.