A syndicate has been spreading traps on social media, offering solutions for infertility issues. When hopeful victims fall into their trap, the mission to swindle gold ornaments begins.
Using the excuse that “keeping gold at home prevents childbirth and requires purification rituals,” the gang has been looting gold jewelry and money from victims.
Police report that one victim lost 15 bhori of gold and valuables worth Tk10 lakh before filing a case at New Market Police Station. During the investigation, police arrested three members of the fraud ring last Friday and recovered 85 bhori of gold.
On Saturday, Senior Assistant Commissioner (AC) Tariq Latif of DMP’s Ramna Division (New Market Zone) shared these details.
He stated that a woman named Afroza Begum, a resident of New Market, saw an advertisement on Facebook about “childlessness issues” and contacted the fraudsters. They convinced her that keeping gold at home was preventing her from having a child.
Believing them, she sent her 15 bhori of gold and valuables worth Tk10 lakh through an SA Paribahan courier. However, once they received the items, the scammers blocked her, after which she filed a case at the New Market Police Station.
During the investigation, Sub-Inspector (SI) Firoz Ahmed and his team used digital forensics to track the culprits. They conducted a raid in Savar on Friday, arresting one suspect. Based on his information, two more were arrested from Bosila under Mohammadpur Police Station.
The arrested individuals are Md Arifur Rahman (20), Md Al-Amin (25), and Anamika (24).
Anamika and Al-Amin are a married couple. A search of their home yielded 85 bhori of gold, Tk3.5 lakh, and two mobile phones.
AC Tariq Latif confirmed that legal action is underway against the three arrestees, and operations continue to nab others involved in the syndicate.