Man charged with cheating friend out of $112,500 after learning he was a scam victim

Vasudevan purportedly told his friend he was helping to arrange for the case to be heard in an overseas court.

Vasudevan’s charge sheet showed he claimed his company, DS9 Technology, could engage lawyers in the United States and Australia to pursue court proceedings on his friend’s behalf.

He also claimed that he had hired a private investigator from Norway through his company to locate the scammer. He said he needed to arrange for witness compensation and protection services.

The charge sheet shows Vasudevan’s friend then transferred $112,500 to DS9 Technology’s bank account.

Business records show the company, which was incorporated in 2008 and described as being in the business of repair and maintenance of computer hardware and data processing equipment, is solely owned by Vasudevan.

Court documents do not state how his alleged scheme came to light, but the police said they received a report on Sept 27. He was arrested on Oct 21.

In a statement, the police reminded the public to exercise caution when dealing with anyone who claims to be able to recover money lost to scams or other fraudulent schemes in exchange for payment.

The police said: “Members of the public should be wary of and verify requests for upfront payments, especially when these are purportedly required for legal, administrative or processing purposes.

“If you suspect that you have fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately to report and block any fraudulent transactions, and lodge a police report.”