A 70-year-old Bengaluru journalist allegedly lost Rs 1.20 crore after being duped by cyber fraudsters acting as FedEx couriers and Narcotics Control Bureau officials, claiming to have a shipment in her name containing illicit materials, according to police.
According to authorities, it all began on December 15 of last year when the victim, a resident of MG Road, received a WhatsApp call from a’staff of FedEx courier office’ in Mumbai. According to the officer, the caller provided her name and Aadhaar number and claimed to have a courier carrying 240 grammes of MDMA, an illegal narcotic.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed on December 23, the fraudster informed the woman that the call was being routed to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) because the courier also contained SBI credit cards that were being illegally transported to Taiwan, and a case has been registered at the Andheri narcotic police station.
An investigation into the cybercrime case in which a city-based senior journalist lost Rs 1.2 crore to internet fraudsters discovered that the money was moved to several bank accounts in many north Indian states, including Bihar, Kerala, and Dubai.
Bengaluru police have frozen Rs 37 lakh from criminal masterminds’ and mules’ bank accounts, while the investigation into the remaining funds is ongoing.”Our goal is to recover as much money as possible. “The accused used a fake FedEx courier scam to defraud the journalist,” the investigator claimed.
One of the most well-known tactics used by cybercriminals is the phoney courier scam, in which they phone victims pretending to be Fedex employees or law enforcement agents, accuse them of smuggling prohibited goods, and compel them to submit money to verify the latter’s credentials.
Bhavna (name altered to protect her identity), a 70-year-old resident of the central business area, was digitally arrested by bogus cops from December 15 to 23 and lost her money.
What actually happened?
The incident began when she received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number at 12:23 p.m. on December 15. The caller informed her that a shipment bearing her name and containing 240 grammes of MDMA, passports, and credit cards was on its way from Mumbai to Taiwan. While a stunned Bhavna said she had not sent any such item, the caller stated that her Aadhaar card had been used to mail it, and a complaint had been filed against her.
The scammers then forced her to download an application. They informed her that money laundering activities had been detected in her bank accounts and advised her to make a security deposit with the Reserve Bank of India. They offered to restore the money to her bank accounts following verification, but advised her not to communicate with anyone else. She only left the house once between December 15 and 23, to transfer Rs 48 lakh to the fraudster’s bank account via RTGS.
Bhavna informed police that the miscreants called every day at 9 a.m. and hung up about 2 a.m. According to a senior police official, a case has been lodged under the Information Technology Act and IPC section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing handover of property).
How does the FedEx courier scam work?
According to the police, FedEx courier scammers typically mimic airport security officers or enforcement organisations, claiming to have received a shipment containing drugs or contraband products. The callers reveal the victims’ Aadhaar numbers to persuade them and instill fear and worry in them.
The accused may utilise interactive voice response (IVR) technologies to successfully replicate automated calls. Many of the incidents reported in Bengaluru had victims attending virtual meetings where the entire setting in the video conference appeared to be put up by an enforcement agency, according to the police.
Once they have convinced the victims, without giving them much time to consider or act, the accused begin seeking a ‘fine’ or bribe to settle the case.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Kumar R Jain recently stated, “What is pathetic is that the victims are well educated.” In fact, we have seen incidents when the police station is literally a stone’s throw away from their home. However, most do not even consider consulting with the police before beginning a deal. Awareness and prevention are the most effective approaches to combat these cybercrimes.”
According to Bengaluru city police, 335 cybercrime cases related to the FedEx courier scam were reported in Bengaluru in 2023
Reply from FedEx
According to FedEx, “FedEx does not request personal information through unsolicited phone calls, mail, or email for goods being shipped or held, unless requested or initiated by customers.” If an individual receives any questionable phone calls or messages, they should not reveal any personal information. Instead, people should immediately call local law enforcement officials in the area or report the incident to the Indian government’s cybercrime agency.
