In a startling revelation, Bengaluru Police in collaboration with Amazon personnel have exposed a significant counterfeit return scheme, centering around high-value gadgets like iPhones, that had been purchased from Amazon India’s online platform. This intricate scam has led to the arrest of an individual in northern Bengaluru and has triggered the confiscation of devices amounting to a staggering Rs 20.34 lakh. Furthermore, approximately Rs 30 lakh held across multiple bank accounts linked to the suspect have been frozen during the ongoing investigation.
The combined efforts of Bengaluru Police and Amazon’s investigative team have brought to light a large-scale fraudulent operation concerning the fabricated return of premium gadgets, including iPhones, which were procured through Amazon India’s e-commerce platform. As a part of their comprehensive inquiry, a person has been apprehended in the northern precincts of Bengaluru, according to a recent report by Indian Express. The alarm bells rang when Amazon Transportation Services Private Limited noticed substantial losses attributed to refunds for high-priced gadgets that seemed to be returned by customers.
Amazon took swift action by initiating an internal probe, which revealed that a customer identified as Chirag Gupta had carried out four transactions for Apple iPhones between May 15 and 17. Payments for these purchases were made through a combination of credit cards and UPI. Puzzlingly, the investigation exposed a pattern where all four iPhones were dispatched to Gupta’s residence in northern Bengaluru. However, these devices were marked as returned and were subsequently refunded via the online customer application, despite never actually being returned to the Amazon Transportation Services facility.
According to a police complaint filed by the zonal manager of Amazon Transportation Services, Gupta’s behavior raised red flags. During a visit to Gupta’s residence, a company representative was informed that the iPhones were in perfect working condition. Gupta disclosed that he had participated in these transactions at the behest of an acquaintance from Madhya Pradesh. This associate claimed to have identified a method to secure refunds on Amazon while retaining the purchased items.
The entire elaborate scheme was orchestrated by a former Amazon employee who had intricate knowledge of the company’s operations. As the investigation progresses, authorities have successfully seized gadgets worth Rs 20.34 lakh, including an array of iPhones and MacBooks. Additionally, approximately Rs 30 lakh have been frozen in various bank accounts linked to the primary suspect.
Elucidating the situation, Deputy Commissioner of Police Shivaprakash Devaraju detailed how the fraudulent activity was discovered. The company detected a recurring pattern of purchases from the same address, which was curiously not being followed by legitimate returns, even when orders were canceled.
Further insights gleaned from the police complaint revealed that Gupta had been directed by his contact in Madhya Pradesh to make these gadget purchases and subsequently initiate order cancellations. The acquaintance assured Gupta that he possessed the capability to manipulate the system, displaying a fictitious return and thereby prompting refunds.
Following a comprehensive investigation supported by Amazon’s findings, Bengaluru North police apprehended Chirag Gupta based on evidence presented in a police complaint filed back in May. This probe also led to the recovery of the iPhones that Gupta had procured and subsequently deceitfully reported as returned. These devices, along with other related gadgets, were traced to an associate of Gupta.
The investigation further unveiled that Gupta had been incentivized with commissions for his role in purchasing high-value gadgets from Amazon. The alleged mastermind, who communicated with Gupta through the messaging platform Telegram, purportedly converted the fraudulently obtained devices into cryptocurrency profits. Gupta, in turn, received a share of the earnings as a commission.
The orchestrator of this elaborate hoax, identified as a former Amazon employee, exploited their access to the company’s systems to manipulate product return data. Despite triggering return requests, actual payments for these items were never processed, rendering the items unreclaimed.
In an official statement issued on Friday, the Bengaluru police stated, “Based on the investigations of the arrested person and the data from Amazon, gadgets worth Rs 20.34 lakh, including 16 iPhones, two Macbooks, a pair of AirPods, one Vivo phone, one desktop, one gaming laptop, and Rs 2.5 lakh in cash have been seized.” Moreover, approximately Rs 30 lakh across various bank accounts linked to the accused have been frozen.
