Hyderabad man loses ₹10 lakh in OLX car sale fraud
HYDERABAD: A 32-year-old man from Khajaguda was allegedly cheated of ₹10 lakh by unidentified persons who posed as car sellers on an online marketplace, police said.
According to the complaint, Saladi Satish Kumar, a self-employed professional residing at Khajaguda, came across an advertisement on OLX on January 11, 2026, offering a Mahindra XUV700 for sale. He contacted the advertiser through the platform and shared his mobile number.
Soon after, he received a WhatsApp message from a person identifying himself as Charan. Charan quoted a price of ₹15 lakh and claimed that he was in Vijayawada, while his father had possession of the vehicle at My Home Avatar, Nanakramguda, Hyderabad.
Brief vehicle inspection, pressure to transfer money
The complainant said he visited My Home Avatar on January 12 at around 10.00 IST, where a man claiming to be Charan’s father briefly showed him the vehicle and left, citing office work. Later, Satish informed Charan that he could not immediately arrange funds and suggested that the vehicle be sold to another buyer.
However, the next day, Charan allegedly contacted him again, claimed that an advance had already been taken from the complainant, reduced the price to ₹13 lakh and insisted on an immediate transfer of ₹10 lakh. He cited urgent payment to a builder and repeatedly pressured the complainant to transfer the amount.
Charan allegedly refused to share his own bank account details, stating that his account had auto-debit enabled due to a credit card bill. Instead, he provided two accounts, one in the name of Shyam Traders, claimed to belong to a builder, and another in the name of SK Sabiya Sultana, whom he claimed was his wife.
Believing the assurances, the complainant transferred ₹5 lakh from his HDFC Bank and YES Bank accounts to Shyam Traders and another ₹5 lakh from his sister’s account to SK Sabiya Sultana, totalling ₹10 lakh.
Accused went incommunicado after money transfer
Satish said he was asked to collect the vehicle and documents near the Deloitte Gate in Gachibowli. He waited there for nearly an hour while Charan sent WhatsApp messages citing excuses and avoided phone calls. The phone was later switched off.
Although Charan later messaged that his father was waiting at the same location, the complainant found neither the person nor the vehicle when he returned. After repeated failed attempts to contact the accused, he realised he had been cheated.
The complainant approached Nanakramguda Police Station and, as advised, lodged a complaint through the 1930 Cyber Crime Helpline at around 23.00 IST on January 13.
Police said a case of cheating and online fraud has been registered and efforts are on to trace the accused and the bank accounts involved.
