Car owners conned in Kangra

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 26

The police are on the lookout for con men who duped hundreds of car owners in Una and Kangra district by floating an Ads on Wheels company.

Sources said the police had arrested one person, Vijay, of Jogindernagar, and was in pursuit of the mastermind.

Con men duped hundreds of consumers in Una and Kangra districts on the pretext of selling placing advertisements on their cars.

Shakti Sharma, who runs a coaching academy in Una, is a victim of the scam. He said a scheme was advertised in Una by the company. Under the scheme, it was said, “Own a car and the company will pay your monthly bank instalment.”

According to the concept, any customer buys a car and company pays the remaining instalments. In return, the company enters into an agreement with the customer that it can paste any advertisement on the car and the car should cover at least for 500 kms in a month.

Shakti Sharma purchased a Chevrolet Beat car and entered into an agreement with the company. He paid Rs 43,000 as security to the company and got cheques of only two instalments.

Shakti Sharma said it would be difficult for him to pay instalments of the vehicle and he might sell the car on a discounted price.

Amarjeet Sharma, who runs a computer shop in Una, is another victim. He said he subscribed of the Ads of Wheels scheme. “According to the scheme, the company promised to pay Rs 9000 per month for hiring my old car for placing an advertisement. I paid a security of Rs 43,000 to the company and it paid me a cheque for Rs 9,000,” he said.

The company closed down its office in Una and phone numbers of its officials are also switched off. He had been duped of Rs 33,000, he said.

Sources said about 500 people in Una district had become the victim of the scam. Con men had swindled about Rs 2 crore from Una district.

The correspondent tried to contact Ad on Wheel company officials from the numbers given on their website. However, all numbers were switched off.

The DSP, Una, Kulwinder Singh said the police had arrested state franchise of the company. They were also sending teams in other states to arrest culprits. Till date, 60 persons had filed complaints against the company and the number of growing, he said.