CHANDIGARH, June 13: In a case that spans fake pharmaceutical deals, fraudulent documents, and a trail of international online transactions, a Chandigarh-based businessman has reported being defrauded of more than ₹60.65 lakh in a meticulously crafted cyber scam.
The cyber crime cell registered an FIR on June 11 after the complainant, Sunil Kumar of Sector 32-C, detailed a six-month-long scheme that began in September 2024. “I was misled into believing the operation was legitimate due to the professional nature of the communication and documentation,” Kumar stated in his complaint.
According to the FIR, Kumar was initially contacted through a Facebook profile named Morris Pauline, who pitched a lucrative business deal involving the supply of Avastin powder, a medicinal product, to a supposed U.S.-based pharmaceutical firm, Actelion Laboratory. The engagement soon shifted to WhatsApp and email, where Kumar communicated with individuals posing as company representatives.
On September 25, 2024, Kumar received an order request for 300 kg of Avastin powder monthly. He was directed to source the product from Sharma Enterprises, an Indore-based supplier quoting ₹99,000 per kilogram. Kumar subsequently transferred ₹13 lakh for an initial 50 kg batch into two separate accounts held by the firm.
The fraudsters then escalated their demands. Citing a fabricated truck accident, Sharma Enterprises requested an additional ₹10 lakh, followed by ₹3.5 lakh for “assistance.” Kumar was also sent a counterfeit shipping invoice from a fake logistics firm named Motion Cargo International, to which he paid ₹92,552 and another ₹12 lakh for a second consignment.
Over the course of the scam, Kumar transferred ₹28.5 lakh to Sharma Enterprises and ₹1.86 lakh to the logistics front. He was also manipulated into paying ₹34.15 lakh for a forged USFDA certificate, which he received on November 26. Later, for completing the purported international transaction, he was asked to pay ₹9.68 lakh for an “IMF Referral Code,” and $14,000 (approximately ₹11.7 lakh) for opening and depositing funds in an offshore account.
Despite transferring a total of ₹60,65,883, Kumar never received any product or payment in return. All contact with the fake buyers and suppliers ceased, revealing the full scale of the deception.
Police have booked the unknown accused under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are tracing the linked accounts and digital communications. Authorities have also urged the public to verify foreign business offers thoroughly before making any financial commitments.
