NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, MARCH 8
The Cyber Crime Wing of Tamil Nadu Police on Friday warned the general public about an online cheating scam in the name of FedEx courier calls. According to the police, those behind the scam were impersonating employees of the FedEx courier service company.
As part of this scam, people are tricked into sharing their bank account details and transferring money into some other accounts.
- As part of this scam, people are tricked into sharing their bank account details and transferring money into some other accounts.
- If you suspect that you have been a victim of similar fraudulent activity or have come across any suspicious activity, report the incident by dialing Cyber Crime Tollfree Helpline No 1930 or register a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in
In an increasingly interconnected world, the threat of scams and fraudulent schemes looms larger than ever before. Among the most insidious are impersonation scams, where fraudsters exploit trust and authority to manipulate unsuspecting individuals into unwillingly participating in illegal activities. One such sophisticated scam, involving the impersonation of FedEx officials and law enforcement officers, has recently emerged, leaving victims financially devastated and emotionally traumatized. From the initial contact posing as FedEx customer care representatives to the escalation involving fake police officers and RBI officials, each step is meticulously designed to instill fear, confusion, and compliance in the victim.
How the scam occurs
The victim receives a call from someone claiming to be a FedEx customer care official, informing them about a returned parcel supposedly sent by the victim with victim’s number. When victim informs that he has not sent any parcel, the fake FedEx official verifies personal information, such as victim’s name, contact number and Aadhaar number and says that the parcel was booked using his ID. Suspect also mentions that the returned courier contained illegal passports, credit cards, SIMs and drugs which was being held by Mumbai Police.
Fake FedEx official then connects the call to fake Mumbai Cyber Crime Police who will introduce himself as Police officer and forces the victim to download Skype and get on a video call for further verification. The fake Police officer asks several questions and then forwards the call to the superior Police officer who informs that the department is aware that the parcel was not sent by the victim and the victim’s identity is being misused for sending several parcels abroad and his bank account is being misused in money laundering cases. The person who impersonates as Police officer states that the Government will issue a new aadhaar card on victim’s name once the investigation is completed and that RBI will update KYC details using the new aadhaar number to secure victim’s bank accounts.
Then victim receives a photo from the fake Police officer and is asked to confirm whether he had any connection with the alleged person in the photo for which the victim denies. Later, the officer informs the victim that the arrested criminal gave a statement that victim is receiving a commission of 10% for using victim’s bank accounts for money laundering and hence the call is forwarded to a person who impersonates as RBI investigating officer and says that several suspicious transactions have been done using his accounts. In order to enable the RBI to ascertain whether the victim is involved in money laundering transactions, the victim is asked to transfer a huge amount to the account mentioned by the fake RBI official. Once the victim completes the transaction, the scammer disconnects the call and become unreachable. Any digital communication related to the scam, such as Skype messages, is deleted to avoid detection.
In the last 2 months, 390 complaints have been registered in National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on this scam.
ADGP, Cyber Crime Wing Sanjay Kumar, IPS, advises that
- If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a company or organization unexpectedly, be cautious.
- Always verify the identity of the caller by asking for official contact information and independently confirming it through legitimate channels. For example, look up the official customer service number of the company or organization and call them directly to inquire about the issue.
- Do not engage in financial transactions under pressure.
- Avoid sharing sensitive personal information, such as Aadhaar numbers, bank account details, or passwords, over the phone or online unless you are absolutely certain of the recipient’s legitimacy.
- Reach out to your nearest police station for assistance.
- Keep yourself informed about common scams and tactics used by fraudsters. This awareness can help you recognize red flags and protect yourself from falling victim to deception.
If you suspect that you have been a victim of similar fraudulent activity or have come across any suspicious activity, report the incident by dialing Cyber Crime Toll-free Helpline No 1930 or register a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in
