Delhi Police arrested a man for cheating a Trilokpuri buyer of Rs 2 lakh in a fake second-hand car deal after posing as an online platform employee

New Delhi: A Delhi man lost Rs 2 lakh in an online second-hand car fraud after a scammer posed as an employee of a reputed car-selling platform and collected advance payment for a vehicle that was never delivered. Delhi Police arrested the accused on May 2, 2026, after tracing the transaction during a cyber investigation in East Delhi.

How the Fraud Happened

According to police, the complainant, Harish, a resident of Trilokpuri in East Delhi, was searching for a reliable second-hand car when an unknown person contacted him through an online platform and offered to sell him a vehicle.

Police said the accused introduced himself as an employee of a well-known car-selling platform and shared photographs and details of the car to make the deal look genuine.

During the conversation, the accused asked Harish to pay an advance amount for booking and processing charges. Believing the offer to be genuine and trusting the seller’s claimed connection with the platform, Harish transferred Rs 2,00,000 to the bank account given by the accused.

After receiving the money, the accused stopped all communication. Harish did not receive the car, and the seller stopped answering his calls and messages.

After the complaint, police registered E-FIR No. 127/26 on April 16, 2026, at the Cyber Police Station, East District, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and started an investigation.

Cyber Police Tracked the Money Trail

The East District Cyber Police formed a special investigation team that included SI Nikhlesh, Head Constable Rahul, Woman Head Constable Bhawna, and Constable Mohit. Inspector Pawan Yadav, SHO of the Cyber Police Station, supervised the investigation under the overall guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar.

Police said the team carried out detailed financial and technical analysis and traced the cheated amount to a bank account in the State Bank of India.

Investigators checked KYC documents, account activity, and digital records. Based on this evidence, they identified Aman Sethi as the main accused.

Police then carried out several raids across Delhi-NCR. During the operation, they found that the accused had left his known address and was trying to escape arrest. However, the police tracked him and arrested him based on the evidence collected.

During questioning, police said Sethi tried to mislead investigators, but the financial and digital evidence clearly linked him to the fraud.

Accused Had a Similar Fraud History

Police identified the accused as Aman Sethi, 32, a resident of Hazara Park in Shiv Puri Extension, Delhi. He is a graduate and earlier worked in the business of selling used cars.

Police also found that Sethi had already been involved in a similar cheating case registered at Krishna Nagar Police Station. Investigators said this showed a repeated pattern of fraud.

According to police, Sethi followed a fixed method. He searched for people looking for second-hand cars on online platforms, posed as a representative of trusted companies such as Cars24, shared vehicle details and photographs, demanded advance payments in his personal bank accounts, and stopped responding after receiving the money.

What Police Recovered

During the operation, police recovered one SBI debit card, one ICICI debit card, two mobile phones of LAVA and OPPO brands, and two SIM cards of Vodafone and Jio.

Police said these items were allegedly used in the crime and have become important evidence in the case.

Investigators are now tracing the full money trail, checking whether other people were involved in the fraud, and trying to recover the cheated amount. Further investigation is still underway.

Police Advisory for Online Buyers

Delhi Police have advised people to verify the identity of online sellers before making any payment. Police also warned buyers not to transfer money directly into personal bank accounts without proper verification and official documentation.

Police have asked victims of cyber fraud to report such incidents immediately by calling the national cyber helpline 1930 or by visiting the nearest cyber police station.

Rising Fraud in Online Vehicle Deals

Police said this case shows a growing trend of fraud in online second-hand vehicle transactions, where scammers misuse the names of trusted platforms to gain people’s trust and collect large payments.

Officials said second-hand car deals have become a common target for cybercriminals because these transactions involve high-value payments and buyers often make quick decisions.

Police added that financial tracking and digital forensic investigation helped crack the case and arrest the accused even though he tried to avoid arrest.

For Harish, the arrest has brought hope of getting his money back. For the public, the case serves as an important reminder to check every online deal carefully before making any payment.