Conman from AP arrested for duping over 200 victims since 2018

A man from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, Balaji Naidu was caught for conning sellers on OLX platform by acting as a potential buyer and re-posting the advertisement on his name with a discount. He would make the parties talk to each other by posing as a relative and provide a QR code for payment before blocking the numbers, said the Punjagutta police.

Residing in Tirupati, Naidu reportedly defrauded nearly 200 victims across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh since 2018, amassing between ₹50 lakh to ₹60 lakh, which he squandered on online betting platforms, said the ACP of Panjagutta, S. Mohan Kumar. “Naidu preyed on sellers of used mobile phones by agreeing to their quoted price without negotiation. Using the original photos and details from the OLX listings, he re-posted the same phones at lower prices, attracting buyers. In a well-crafted narrative, he posed as the brother of both the buyer and the seller, directing them to verify the product without discussing transaction details. Payment was requested via UPI ID or QR code, after which he blocked both parties, vanishing with the money,” said the ACP.

Naidu also manipulated individuals at ATMs claiming technical issues and persuading them to let him use their UPI IDs for transactions. “He has used over 23 SIM cards to execute his crimes, with 138 complaints lodged against him on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Additionally, 19 FIRs have been filed across various police stations in Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda as well as in Vijayawada and Tirupati,” added the officer.

Naidu has been arrested previously by the police in Bangalore, Vijayawada, and Tirupati for similar offenses.

Published - November 18, 2024 09:32 pm IST