Pune: A former Eureka Forbes technician has been booked for allegedly impersonating a company employee and fraudulently selling fake service plans to three customers in Pune. The accused Ganesh Vitthal Langote, a former service technician, tricked customers into paying for non-existent maintenance contracts, leading to a total fraud of ₹18,032.

Eureka Forbes, a well-known company that sells Aquaguard water purifiers, provides free servicing during the first year of purchase. However, after this period, customers must purchase an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) for continued service.

Langote, who was employed as a service technician for eight months, left the company but continued to pose as a technician. Using information from the Eureka Forbes service app, he targeted past customers, convincing them that their AMC had expired and needed renewal.

On June 24, 2024, Langote visited a customer’s home in Boat Club, Pune, falsely claiming that her Aquaguard maintenance plan had expired. He then persuaded her to opt for the Gold Plan, costing ₹5,332, and accepted the payment via mobile transfer. He also replaced the water filter in her machine to make the service appear legitimate.

However, when the customer inquired about payment confirmation, Langote assured her that she would receive an email receipt. Later, when she tried calling him, he ignored her calls, raising her suspicion. She then contacted Eureka Forbes, where she was informed that Langote was no longer employed by the company and was advised to file a police complaint.

Further investigation revealed that Langote had defrauded two more customers in Koregaon Park, using the same tactic. In total, he collected ₹18,032 from unsuspecting customers before his fraud was uncovered. A case has been registered at Koregaon Park Police Station, and Sub-Inspector Shantamal Kollure is currently leading the investigation.