An online fraud misusing the name of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has come to the notice of the airport authorities. Several unsuspecting people are reported to have lost their money after they were drawn towards an advertisement, which had promised sale of premium cars at cheap rates.
Apparently, the fraud was being played out for the last few months, and the airport authorities were seized of the matter after they received complaints. At least six people lost their money ranging from Rs.30,000 to Rs.1,00,000, while there may be several more who may not have bothered to admit to have fallen for the trap.
The airport authorities are now set to hand over the complaints to the Nedumbassery police.
The fraud was committed on a pattern wherein an advertisement putting up a car for sale appeared on a prominent online portal. The potential seller, pretending to be an airport employee, would claim that the car had been put on display in the parking area, and that those interested could deposit a fixed amount as advance in a particular bank account.
Buyers who called the phone number in the advertisement were told to deposit anything between Rs.30,000 and Rs.1,00,000 in the account. A woman who reportedly received the calls, would claim to be an airport employee and say that she could not meet them owing to busy official engagements. The catch is in asking the parties to pay the advance and then finalise the sale at the airport later.
However, in a release issued here on Friday, Airport Director A.C.K. Nair said neither the airport authorities nor its employees had given any such advertisements.
The statement said that all tenders with regard to CIAL had been published onwww.cial.aero.
At least six persons fall prey, lose money ranging from Rs.30,000 to Rs.1 lakh
