Meesho has filed two first information reports (FIRs) against the fraudsters, one in Kolkata and another in Ranchi
Bengaluru: Indian e-commerce marketplace Meesho has initiated an extensive on-ground investigation to counter a series of fraudulent activities perpetrated by individuals falsely exploiting Meesho’s brand name, the company said in a press release on Tuesday.
The perpetrators were found to be issuing forged lottery letters with enticing offers, including free cars, to deceive unsuspecting victims.
Meesho has filed two first information reports (FIRs) against the fraudsters, one in Kolkata and another in Ranchi. Investigations are underway in other states.
Following an investigation in Ranchi, Jharkhand, the state police identified and apprehended three individuals, including one bank official and a developer. Further investigation is ongoing. Additionally, successful raid actions in North 24 Parganas, Kolkata, led to the arrest of four fraudsters on 20 January 2024, the release added.
Meesho had also approached the High Court of Delhi last year seeking a permanent injunction against fraudsters operating dubious websites using the Meesho brand, the court ordered domain name registrars to promptly deactivate such fake websites. Additionally, the court directed the cyber cell to investigate the fraudsters further, freeze bank accounts linked to these activities, and initiate appropriate punitive action against them.
“The safety and trust of our users are of paramount importance to us at Meesho. We are dismayed by these fraudulent activities that exploit and victimise our users, and we have taken swift and decisive action against these unscrupulous individuals,” said Lopamudra Rao, general counsel at Meesho.
“Meesho will continue to deploy all necessary measures to protect our users and maintain the integrity of our platform,” Rao added.
Founded in 2015 by IIT Delhi graduates Sanjeev Barnwal and Vidit Aatrey, Softbank-backed Meesho has a vision to enable 100 million small businesses. The company provides small businesses, which includes SMBs, MSMEs and individual entrepreneurs, access to millions of customers, selection from over 30 categories, pan-India logistics, payment services and customer support capabilities to run their businesses on the Meesho ecosystem.
