Rajkot man orders smartphone from Facebook marketplace, gets deos instead

A 28-year-old man's dream of owning an iPhone for a fraction of its market price turned into a nightmare when he fell into a trap of Facebook marketplace scam in Rajkot. Shahrukh Makrani, yearning for the coveted device, came across an enticing advertisement on Facebook's marketplace that offered a brand new iPhone 11 for a mere Rs 11,500. Eager to seize the opportunity, he promptly contacted the seller and made the purchase. However, what awaited him upon opening the parcel was nothing short of a rude awakening - instead of the promised iPhone, he found a mere bottle of deodorant.

Makrani lodged a formal complaint on August 20, prompting the A-division police to initiate a swift investigation. Employing technical surveillance, law enforcement successfully apprehended the 21-year-old scammer responsible for the deceit. The accused, identified as Jayesh Devil, also known by aliases Jaydeep and Jayu Zala, admitted to duping at least ten individuals of a cumulative sum of Rs 1.5 lakh by substituting iPhones with deodorants, perfume sprays, and other items, all of which he showcased on various social media platforms.

Hailing from Vansavad village in Gir-Somnath, Zala had a history of criminal activities, including theft and attempted ATM break-ins. Furthermore, he had previously been detained under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act.

Unraveling his deceptive tactics, investigators revealed that Zala operated under the pseudonym 'Jaydeep Official' on Facebook's marketplace, enticing potential buyers with iPhones offered at significantly lower prices than prevailing market rates. He replicated this scheme on the popular online marketplace, OLX, under the moniker "Jaydeep Banna."

Upon engaging with interested buyers, Zala initiated WhatsApp conversations, guiding them to payment links. In Makrani's case, he received a QR code, instructing him to transfer Rs 10,000 digitally and pay an additional Rs 1,500 in cash to a paan shop owner, who was supposed to hand over the parcel. The paan shop owner, Bhavesh, cautioned Makrani against opening the package on-site, but curiosity got the better of him. To his dismay, he discovered the deodorant bottle inside, despite having received a video of the promised iPhone from Zala to establish trust.

Further investigation unveiled that Zala had meticulously packaged the fraudulent items in duplicate iPhone boxes, enhancing the illusion of authenticity. He ingeniously routed online payments through various money transfer firms' accounts, subsequently collecting cash.

Currently, the police are probing into the details of the account holders, aiming to ascertain their involvement and awareness of these illicit transactions. Zala's apprehension took place in the vicinity of the Rajkot central ST depot, marking the conclusion of his deceptive spree.

As this case unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder for online shoppers to exercise caution and skepticism when encountering too-good-to-be-true deals on social media platforms and online marketplaces. Always verify the credibility of the seller and avoid transactions that seem dubious, as fraudsters continue to devise innovative schemes to exploit unsuspecting buyers.