Cyber Crime

Beware! ‘AJIO’ Impersonation Scam Lures Unsuspecting Victims with Fake Prizes

Published

11 months ago

September 11, 2023

Beware! 'AJIO' Impersonation Scam Lures Unsuspecting Victims with Fake Prizes

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has taken a decisive step to combat a fraudulent scratch card scam using the name ‘AJIO’ and ‘AJIO Online Shopping Pvt. Limited.’ The court’s action came in response to a petition filed by Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), the parent company of the popular e-commerce platform AJIO.

Unveiling the Scam

RIL approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection for its trademark ‘AJIO,’ along with its logo and other related marks. The company raised alarm bells after discovering a widespread scam involving individuals impersonating ‘AJIO Online Shopping Pvt. Ltd.’ and duping unsuspecting victims.

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The scammers, operating under the address ‘City Tower Complex Sasthitala Lane Atghara, New Town Kolkata, West Bengal-Bengal,’ misled recipients with enticing communications. The fraudulent messages claimed that recipients had won substantial prize money, ranging from Rs 7,50,000 to Rs 10,00,000, through scratch card coupons. To claim their prize, the victims were instructed to follow specific guidelines.

However, RIL uncovered a sinister twist to the scam. Victims were coerced into depositing sums, typically around Rs 5,000, under the guise of covering advance government taxes and processing fees. These ill-gotten funds were then funnelled into various mobile numbers and bank accounts belonging to the scammers.

Court Takes Swift Action

Justice Prathiba M. Singh, presiding over the case, wasted no time in issuing a crucial directive. She ordered the immediate freezing of the bank accounts utilized by the scammers and called for comprehensive statements from the inception until the present, including Know Your Customer (KYC) details and any additional information available from the banks.

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The High Court also instructed telecom service providers to promptly block all mobile numbers associated with the scam, as provided by RIL. Furthermore, efforts are underway to identify the individuals who registered these mobile numbers.

Justice’s Remark

Justice Singh expressed her deep concern over the scale of the fraudulent operation orchestrated by these unscrupulous individuals, who exploited the reputation of ‘AJIO’ and ‘AJIO Online Shopping Pvt. Ltd.’ She remarked, “The court is convinced that this appears to be a large-scale operation carried out by unscrupulous individuals with the intention of collecting money under the name of ‘AJIO’ and ‘AJIO Online Shopping Pvt. Ltd.'”

“The letters and the scratch cards, etc., are so convincing that any customer or recipient would be unable to distinguish between the plaintiff’s (RIL) communications and those of the said entity or person,” she added.

The Delhi High Court’s decisive action serves as a significant step in curbing this fraudulent activity. The investigation, bank account freeze, and mobile number block are expected to aid in unmasking those behind the scam and preventing further unsuspecting victims from falling prey to this elaborate scheme.

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WHAT IS AJIO SCAM

The AJIO scam involves fraudulent activities conducted by unscrupulous individuals who use the names ‘AJIO’ and ‘AJIO Online Shopping Pvt. Limited’ to deceive unsuspecting victims. Here’s a breakdown of the key points regarding the AJIO scam:

Impersonation of AJIO: Scammers impersonate the legitimate e-commerce platform AJIO by using the name ‘AJIO Online Shopping Pvt. Limited’ to gain victims’ trust.
False Prize Claims: Victims receive communications, often in the form of letters or messages, claiming that they have won substantial prize money (typically RS 7,50,000 to Rs 10,00,000) through scratch card coupons.
Instructions for Claiming Prizes: The scam communications provide victims with instructions on how to claim their supposed prizes. These instructions lead victims to believe that they need to follow specific steps to access their winnings.
Coercion for Payments: As part of the scam, victims are coerced into depositing money, typically around ₹5,000. Scammers falsely claim that these payments are required for advance government taxes and processing fees to release the prize money.
Bank Account Manipulation: Scammers use various bank accounts to receive the funds deposited by victims. These accounts are typically used to launder the ill-gotten money.
Fake Addresses: The scammers operate under the address ‘City Tower Complex Sasthitala Lane Atghara, New Town Kolkata, West Bengal-Bengal,’ which is a false location used to give an appearance of legitimacy.
Legal Action: Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), the parent company of AJIO, initiated legal action against the scammers by petitioning the Delhi High Court to protect the ‘AJIO’ trademark and logo.