Shreyanshi Singh (name changed on Ion request), a 32-year-old who works with an advertising agency in Delhi, recently received a call during work hours. The caller claimed that a parcel for her from the United States (US) was stuck in Customs and required the payment of a few thousand rupees for its release. Singh has no relatives in the US and had not ordered anything from an overseas e-commerce site. Sensing a scam, she disconnected the call.
"Parcel fraud, which has been prevalent for some time, has now spread to Tier-II and Tier-III cities," says Prashant Mali, advocate, and expert on cyber-crime and data protection.
Modus operandi
The target of this fraud typically receives a call from someone pretending to be from a courier company. The caller claims that the victim's parcel has been intercepted with contraband substances. The person provides detailed information to appear authentic and instructs the victim to report immediately to the police or customs officials. Shortly thereafter, the victim begins receiving calls from individuals impersonating police or customs officers. Sometimes, these callers make video calls dressed as police officers, against a backdrop designed to resemble a police station.
This story is from the May 01, 2024 edition of Business Standard.
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This story is from the May 01, 2024 edition of Business Standard.
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