The Surat City Cyber Crime Cell has arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly running an online fraud scheme through fake advertisements offering bricks, sand and gravel at unusually low prices. Police said the accused cheated both customers and genuine brick kiln owners by using social media advertisements, business directory listings and direct delivery arrangements to divert payments.
Facebook Ad Led to Complaint
According to investigators, the case came to light after a complaint was registered at Dumas Police Station. Police said that on April 16, 2026, the complainant received a phone call from a person identifying himself as “Gyanprakash” after responding to a Facebook advertisement offering bricks at highly discounted rates.
Believing the offer to be genuine, the complainant placed an order and transferred ₹36,900 online as an advance payment. Soon after receiving the money, the accused allegedly switched off his phone, prompting the victim to approach the police. A case was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Fake Profiles and Third-Party SIM Cards Used
The Cyber Crime Cell launched a technical investigation using cyber intelligence and digital analysis, which led to the arrest of the suspect. Police said the accused is originally from Bikaner in Rajasthan and was living in Surat’s Godadara area.
Investigators said the accused had earlier worked as a brick trading agent and later started a hardware business with a partner in 2021. After allegedly suffering losses of nearly ₹6 lakh, he turned to cyber fraud. Police allege that he obtained SIM cards using third-party identities and created fake Facebook profiles to advertise construction materials at attractive prices.
Buyers and Kiln Owners Both Cheated
According to police, once a customer placed an order, the accused would contact genuine brick kiln owners through Justdial and arrange for the materials to be delivered directly to the buyer. After delivery, the customer would transfer payment into the accused’s bank account.
Instead of forwarding the money to the actual supplier, the accused allegedly withdrew the funds through money transfer channels and became unreachable. Police said the accused is also linked to similar cases registered at Singanpore, Pandesara, Olpad and Waghai police stations, along with complaints filed through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The investigation is continuing, and further action will depend on the evidence collected.
