A laptop store owner at Himalaya Mall in Vastrapur was allegedly duped of a high-end Apple MacBook worth ₹67,000 by an unidentified man who used a fake digital payment confirmation to carry out the fraud. Vastrapur police have registered an FIR and launched a probe to identify and trace the suspect, believed to be between 32 and 35 years old.
According to a media report, the complaint was lodged by Devendrabhai Jain (43), a resident of Ramdevnagar, who runs a store named Laptop Hub in the mall. According to Jain, the incident took place around 7:30 pm on July 5, when a man posing as a customer entered the store and showed interest in purchasing an Apple laptop.
After reviewing several models, the man chose a MacBook priced at ₹67,000. He claimed he would pay via PhonePe and scanned the store’s QR code. Shortly after, Jain received a message on his WhatsApp number displaying a payment confirmation for ₹67,000.
Believing the transaction to be successful, Jain handed over the laptop. The man quickly exited the store. However, later that evening, while at his mother’s residence, Jain checked his bank account and discovered that no money had been credited. Attempts to contact the man failed, as his phone was switched off.
Suspecting fraud, Jain searched for any details linked to the number but found nothing. He subsequently filed a police complaint.
The total loss reported is ₹67,000. Jain has named his store staff as witnesses and stated that CCTV footage from the premises may help identify the accused.
Police have booked the case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating and criminal breach of trust, and investigations are underway.