3 from Ahmedabad booked for doing surveys using false identities

Vadaj police registered a case of cheating against three persons for unauthorizedly carrying out a consumer survey by posing as market researchers of a firm even after their contract with the said firm expired in 2021.

The trio allegedly sold the survey findings to other companies on the internet.

A cheating complaint was filed by Vadaj police sub-inspector V N Parmar against Alok Kosti, a resident of Ghodasar, Tushar Sharma, a resident of Subhash Bridge area, and Pradip Ingale, a resident of Meghaninagar.

Acting on a tip-off, the Vadaj cops raided the trio’s office at Arved Transcube Plaza in Ghodasar. There were 15 other people working with them at the office.

Acting on a tip-off, the Vadaj cops raided the trio’s office at Arved Transcube Plaza in Ghodasar. There were 15 other people working with them at the office. They used to make calls to US citizens using software to carry out the survey, the complaint states.

During questioning, the accused reportedly told the cops that they had signed a contract with International Media Group and surveyed consumers about pharma products and packaged goods.

However, on checking the documents, the cops found that their contract with IMG had expired in October 2021, but they still conducted the survey.

Police sources said that IMG had not entered into any agreement with any pharma or packaged goods company for a survey.

The complaint states that the accused sold the survey findings to other companies. The trio admitted that they had been calling US citizens by faking their identities, said cops.