Chandigarh: An auto-rickshaw driver from Dhanas alleged that he was cheated of Rs 8.07 lakh by unidentified persons who promised him Rs 1.36 crore in exchange for old coins. Cyber crime police registered a case against unknown persons and started a probe.The complainant, Shiv Karan Singh, a resident of Housing Board Colony in Dhanas, said he came across an advertisement on Facebook on Sept 15, 2026, offering money in exchange for old coins.According to the complaint, Singh contacted a mobile number mentioned in the advertisement and spoke to a man who identified himself as Vipin Aggarwal of Old Coin Company.After Singh shared photographs of his coins over WhatsApp, the caller allegedly sent him a letter purportedly containing an RBI-certified document, promising Rs 1.3 crore in exchange for the coins.The caller allegedly asked him to pay Rs 720 for a card, claiming that Rs 700 would be refunded and Rs 20 charged as a fee. He subsequently demanded additional payments on the pretext of income tax and security clearance, the complaint stated. Singh added that he was sent documents bearing his personal details and purported official stamps.He was later connected to a person introduced as the company’s managing director, identified as Jagannath, who allegedly told him that the money would be delivered in cash through a parcel.The complainant said a person identifying himself as Ankit later called him and claimed that the parcel had been detained by customs officials at an airport. He demanded security money for its release.According to the complaint, the accused used multiple phone numbers and collected Rs 8.07 lakh from Singh. They subsequently demanded another Rs 6 lakh, claiming that the parcel would not be released until the remaining amount was paid.Later, Singh filed a complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Sector 17 and provided details of the transactions. After verifying the facts, police registered a case against unknown persons.
