Cyber fraud busted: Bengaluru Police uncover Rs 5.5 crore scam targeting Meesho

In a major breakthrough, Bengaluru police have dismantled a cybercrime operation involving a Rs 5.5 crore fraud against e-commerce platform Meesho. Three suspects—Uttam Kumar, Parthbhai, and Maulik—were arrested in Surat, Gujarat, while three accomplices remain on the run.

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The arrests followed a complaint by Meesho’s nodal officer, who flagged suspicious activities by Gujarat-based seller Om Sai Fashion. Investigations revealed that the suspects exploited Meesho’s return policy from January to July, using fabricated buyer profiles with false contact details and delivery addresses. These fake accounts placed approximately 2,500 orders, all of which were returned due to "invalid addresses."

The suspects reportedly recorded videos of opened packages, falsely claiming the items were damaged, and submitted these as evidence to Meesho for reimbursement. A comprehensive audit by the e-commerce company uncovered the discrepancies, prompting police action. Financial trails linked the fraudulent activities to two bank accounts associated with Om Sai Fashion.

The suspects have confessed to the scam, and further investigations uncovered their involvement in a similar fraud in 2023, where they allegedly cheated another e-commerce platform out of Rs 56 lakh. Although they evaded capture in that case, authorities have reopened the investigation.

Police are now intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects and trace additional financial links in what appears to be a sophisticated fraud network.