Fake travel agent held in Erode & brought to city for trial

Hyderabad, Feb.16 (Maxim News): The Cyber Crime Police here have apprehended one Kumar Arumugam alias Arun Kumar of Erode, for allegedly cheating people on pretext of providing Visas to go abroad.

Police said the accused started Cosmos Tours & Travels at Erode and had been cheating his customers who approach him by viewing his website. Police said they received a complaint on January 17 evening from one J. Thulsiram, a student of Habsiguda, who alleged that he called the accused on telephone for procuring a Visa for his sister-in-law who wanted to travel abroad.

As directed by the accusesd, the complainant deposited Rs 60,000 and sent documents through courier. The accused told the complainant that single Visa was not possible and asked him to arrange 10 people in a group so that the complainant can get a group visa, which could be the easy process. The accused also told the complainant that each visa would cost Rs 1,25,000. Accordingly, the complainant spoke to a few of his friends and deposited Rs 10,65,000 into the accused’s bank A/c. 915020017589759, Axis Bank, Erode, Chennai.

The accused sent the complainant Tickets and Visas through Mail and Whatsapp and told the complainant to be in Samshabad Airport on July 29, 2016 at 10.30 am. The complainant and his friends went to the airport with the tickets and visas, but the Airport authorities stopped them saying that flight was not available and the tickets were fake. The complainant immediately called the accused but his telephone was switched off.

After two days, the accused called the complainant and threatened him he would be killed if he asks for the money back. Then the complainant approached the ACP, CCPS, CCS, Hyderabad and a case has been registered.

The Cyber Crime police team visited Erode and arrested the accused on Wednesday and brought him to Hyderabad. Two more online complaints were noticed against the accused. The police advised the people not to opt for such websites which are far away from their places while choosing the travel agents. (Maxim News)