In Turuvekere, an ‘agarbatti gang’ duped over 70 people with fake lucky coupons and cheap appliance offers. Victims paid thousands for low-quality goods and never received promised items.
Turuvekere: A new doorstep scam in Turuvekere has left over 70 people cheated and embarrassed, after a gang posing as agarbatti sellers lured them with “lucky coupons” and too-good-to-be-true offers. Using clever sales tactics and psychological pressure, the fraudsters convinced victims to pay thousands for low-quality items and fake appliance deals.
"Madam, we've come to promote our new agarbattis. One pack is just ₹20. It has a lucky coupon inside, you can test your luck! If you get an offer, you can buy items worth ₹8,000 for just ₹4,000. Just try your luck, Madam!"
If someone comes to your door with this line, be careful. They can read your mind in seconds. If you fall for their words and buy that agarbatti pack, you're guaranteed to fall into their trap. This is exactly what has happened in Turuvekere, where more than 70 people have lost their money and are now in a fix.
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How does the 'Agarbatti Gang' cheat people?
This gang, now famous as the 'Agarbatti Gang', goes from house to house. The agarbatti pack they sell contains an offer coupon. It says something like, "Congratulations! You have won a Sri Jayalakshmi Home Appliances Discount Offer. You get various home appliances worth ₹8,000 for just ₹3,999."
They then reel you in by listing the items: a mixer, a pressure cooker, a chapati maker, a large non-stick kadai, a small non-stick kadai, a coconut scraper, and a solar lamp, all for just ₹3,999. To create pressure, they'll say, "If you don't want it, just say so. We can give it to others who bought the agarbattis but didn't get a lucky coupon." It's a classic psychological trick.
After you agree, they even perform a small 'puja' for the items using the same agarbattis you just bought. Then comes the final hook. "Madam, there's one more offer, just for you. If you pay an extra ₹600, you can get a washing machine or a fridge. It comes with a two-year warranty. This is a limited offer for a few people. If you say yes now, our boys will deliver it to your house within three days. This chance is only for today."
With such smooth talk, they convince people to pay up. Many have fallen for this, hoping to get a washing machine or a fridge for just ₹600, only to lose that money as well.
Phone Switched Off, Hopes Dashed
When the victims unboxed the items they paid ₹3,999 for, they found everything was of terrible quality. The products were made of cheap tin and low-grade materials. The entire set would probably cost only ₹1,500-₹2,000 in the open market.
And when they try calling the mobile number the scammers provided? An automated voice says, “The number you are trying to call is currently switched off.”
For the scammers, it's a win-win. They make a profit of at least ₹2,000 from each person on the initial items. The extra ₹600 they collect for the non-existent fridge or washing machine is pure bonus. The victims, who were told to 'test their luck', are now left feeling embarrassed and are calling their relatives to warn them.
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