A Bengaluru-Based Software Engineer Lost Rs 33 Lakh in a Fake Courier Scam.

A worrying new scam trend is emerging across India, as fraudsters posing as police officers deceive innocent individuals into parting with their hard-earned money. In an alarming rise of fake courier scams, numerous individuals have been conned out of lakhs of rupees, leaving victims reeling and authorities on high alert.

In one such case, a 39-year-old software engineer hailing from Bengaluru was targeted. On June 29, he received a phone call from a person pretending to be an associate from FedEx courier service. The fraudster claimed that a package, sent under the engineer’s name and containing illegal items, had been seized by the Mumbai police and was about to be sent to Taiwan, leveraging his Aadhaar number.

The engineer was then connected to another scammer, who impersonated a Mumbai deputy commissioner of police. The fake officer informed him of a fictitious money laundering case registered against his name. To add an air of authenticity, the victim was asked to join a Skype call with the supposed DCP to discuss the case further.

Believing the call to be genuine, the engineer complied. Once on the Skype call, the fraudster requested him to transfer funds to various accounts as part of a ‘verification process.’ Additionally, he was asked to submit photographs to verify his identity. The victim was reassured that the deposited money would be refunded once the process was complete.

Under duress, the engineer transferred a staggering Rs 33,24,859 to multiple accounts as directed by the con artist. However, when the money was not refunded as promised, the engineer realized he had fallen prey to a sophisticated scam and immediately filed a complaint at the South East CEN police station.

In a distressingly similar incident, the wife of a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, also fell into the trap of these ruthless scammers. She was conned out of Rs 1,73,830 by an individual pretending to be a Mumbai police narcotics division officer. The scammer fabricated a story of her bank account receiving illicit funds linked to money laundering activities. Under the guise of verifying her account details, the scammer extracted a significant sum from her.

These recent cases of fake courier scams serve as a harsh reminder for the public to remain vigilant and cautious about unsolicited phone calls, especially those alleging criminal involvement. Authorities are urging citizens to double-check any unexpected communication and report suspicious activity to the police immediately.