He thought he was giving loving homes to puppies up for adoption, instead he became another victim of an online scam.
Kalyan youth tries to adopt pups via online marketplace, duped
Kalyan resident and dog lover Vipul Dabholkar 25, was recently duped of Rs5,200 after he went on a popular online marketplace on seeing an ad of two boxers and four labradors up for adoption. The seller allegedly cheated him by asking him to send transportation charges for bringing two labradors and one boxer, as asked by Dabholkar, from Indore.
He has lodged a complaint on the website of Thane police. Officers replied to him saying investigation in his case may start soon.
Explaining how it happened, Dabholkar said on finding the adoption ad on the website, he sent a message on the number listed as calls were restricted. A person replied to his message on October 24 saying he is the owner of the puppies and is in Dubai and will reach Mumbai the next day. On October 25, Dabholkar allegedly received another message from the owner in which he sent Dabholkar the contact number of one Vipin, a transport agent with whom the puppies had been left, and asked him to get in touch with the agent.
Dabholkar said he called Vipin the same day, and he asked for Rs5,200 as transportation charge. Dabholkar deposited the amount in an account which was on the name of one Mohammed Ifrar Ibrahim. After that, Vipin spoke to Dabholkar till Wednesday and claimed he had reached Kasara, but later, his phone was switched off.
"I realised I had been cheated when I went to buy leashes for the pets at my friend's shop. He asked me where I am getting the puppies from as he had got many complaints from people being fooled by a person asking for money for transportation of the animals and then vanishing. I immediately called up Vipin, but I kept getting a busy signal. However, when I called on the number from my cousin's cell phone, it rang," he said, adding, "I have now lodged a complaint with the Thane police."
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