Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 10: A woman who had been able to cheat e-commerce website, Amazon, to the extent of Rs 69.91 lac has been arrested by the city police. The lady was using lax provisions of the return policy of the website by placing orders for various things and then returning fake items by using the return policy of the website to her advantage.

The arrested lady happens to be Deepannita Ghosh (32), of West Bengal origin. She was staying in Sanvi Residency at Rajanna Layout, Horamavu in the city.

Deepannita had placed orders for 104 items from Amazon during the last several months. Once the goods arrive, she used to place request by misusing return policy of the firm, duly complaining that the things received were found to be defective. Whenever people of Amazon came to take back the things, she used to handover packages containing some fake goods, and collect money from the staff. The total of such frauds played on Amazon had reached Rs 70 lac within a short period.

After the company realized that it had been taken for a ride by the lady, Denu Nair of its sales section filed a complaint, after which police arrested the woman within two days. It is gathered that out of the orders placed by Deepannita, 48 percent of the internet protocol addresses used were belonging to foreign countries, with the balance 52 to West Bengal. Deputy commissioner of police (east), Ajay Hilori, said that the lady used to cheat Amazon, by making wrong use of its simple return policy.

Deepannita is very intelligent, police and Amazon staff agree. She had registered herself in the 'seller' section of another e-commerce website, ebay, in the name of 'Rajashree 96'. She used to get orders on this website and supplied items, mostly electronic, by getting them from Amazon. When people questioned her about packages of Amazon, she told them that she got items from Amazon as she did not have stock of particular product.

The woman used to keep useless items in the package and return to Amazon staff. As soon as the product reached Amazon facility, her account got credited with the price of the item. On the other hand, customers under ebay too credited cost of items to her account. So the total amount she siphoned off from Amazon has touched a whopping 69.91 lac, which is the penalty Amazon has paid for reposing trust on its clientele.

Amazon officials, in course of time, grew suspicious and got alerted and smelt something fishy after noting that the items ordered by the lady were delivered at some other addresses, and return requests were filed within sometime after the items were delivered. Delivery and return addresses were different. Deepannita used three different addresses for placing orders and making return requests and the company officials got doubt as the lady found fault with every item supplied to her by Amazon.

After the company began to keep an eye on Deepannita's transactions, the staff kept vigil on her orders. When she placed return requests, Amazon staff opened the parcel in the lady's presence and showed to her that she was returning fake items. Thereafter she cancelled the return request. After three successive items were so found to be fake, the company filed complaint with the police on April 18.

Personnel of Hennur police station in the city arrested the accused for misusing technology for cheating the company. Amazon officials have learnt a lesson now. The rules have now been changed, and every time a product is returned, the staff have been strictly instructed to open the parcel in the presence of the person concerned and confirm that the goods returned were the ones supplied by the company.