5 arrested for defrauding clients via fake E-commerce

B2B, an e-commerce platform that had been operating through Facebook, would publish attractive advertisements, pretending to sell foreign bags, ornaments, cosmetics, and goods.

Attracted by the advertisements, many people would place orders on Facebook. Based on oral agreements, they would pay 50% in advance.

Not only that, B2B would charge customers Tk100-1,000 for product delivery.

But after getting the advance payments and delivery charge, the gang behind it would close communications with customers and shut down the Facebook page.

Detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Tuesday arrested five members of the gang from Mohadevpur upazila of Naogaon.

The arrestees are Shipa Reza, Chad Ali, Nazmul Hassan Khan alias Tanmoy, Mamunur Rashid, and Raju Ahmed. Multiple mobile phones, SIM cards, and other devices were seized from their possessions.

Using the e-commerce platform, the gang had been deceiving people for about six months, said Mahidul Islam, additional commissioner of the Cyber and Special Crime division of the Detective Branch.

"We got a complaint from a victim who ordered 65 bags. The victim paid 50% in advance. Each bag was priced at Tk100. After getting the advance payment, the gang closed the Facebook page as well as the mobile banking account number," Hasan Mohammad Mohtarin, assistant Commissioner of the division, told The Business Standard.  

He said the gang would use fake Facebook pages and open mobile banking accounts by using fake national IDs, which is why it was not possible to trace them.

"By analysing mobile banking transaction records, we found Shipa Reza. According to Shipa's information, we were able to arrest the four other members of the gang."

Detective Branch sources said some e-commerce platforms are conducting their operations with professionalism, but most are fake and they cheat their clients. So, everybody should be aware when buying products from such businesses.

Tabassum Farah, owner of Shopperzo, told The Business Standard many people are being defrauded by fake e-commerce platforms.

"That is why those who are doing real business are being affected. Customers are losing trust in online platforms," she added.