Nabarangpur, May 19: A tribal youth from Nabarangpur district has fallen victim to an elaborate mobile tower scam, losing ₹60,000 to a fraud gang that promised him a lucrative return of ₹12 lakh in exchange for allowing a mobile tower to be installed on his land.
The victim, identified as Baidhara Baskey, a resident of Kaduagotha village under Ghasipura police limits in Anandapur sub-division, was initially contacted two years ago by an unidentified woman claiming to represent telecom company Jio.
According to sources, the woman offered to install a mobile tower on his property, assuring Baidhara that he would receive ₹12 lakh in compensation. Enticed by the offer, he shared sensitive personal documents including his Aadhaar card, land documents, bank passbook, and photographs.
Shortly after, the scammers told him that two company representatives would visit the site for inspection and asked him to pay ₹60,000 as a security deposit for the tower equipment. The amount was paid by the victim through PhonePe and bank transfer.
However, no representatives arrived and the promised tower was never installed. Adding to the deception, the gang later claimed that the tower equipment was being transported and demanded an additional ₹14,500 as toll tax, prompting the victim to finally suspect foul play.
Realizing he had been duped, Baidhara approached the Ghasipura Police Station and lodged a formal complaint. Police have confirmed that an investigation has been initiated into the incident.
Authorities have urged the public to remain cautious and report any suspicious offers related to mobile tower installations, which have become a common method of fraud targeting rural communities.
