Scam Alert: Steps to Protect Yourself from FedEx Courier Scam

With the increasing internet penetration in India, cybercrimes are also on the rise. Some tech-savvy people, who want to make quick bucks, are using innovative ways to deceive the gullible and uneducated mobile phone users in India. 

After several UPI related scams, the latest to hit the Indian mobile phone users is a ‘FedEx Courier’ scam. Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of East, has reported several cybercrimes where people were duped in the name of FedEx shipments. 

The modus operandi of the scammers is simple. The fraudsters initiate an unsolicited call to random individuals and falsely represent themselves as FedEx employees. They inform the potential victim that a package linked to their Aadhaar number has been intercepted because the parcel contains illegal items. When the victim responds that he was not aware of any shipment in his/her name, the caller insists that it was dispatched from Mumbai and is stuck at the customs as the officers found narcotics among the items in the parcel. 

The scammers then create a false sense of emergency and then claim that the call will be transferred to Mumbai Police Cyber Cell. Subsequently, the person impersonating the cyber cell department demands sensitive information like Aadhaar and PAN card details from the victim. They later exploit the fears of legal repercussions and money laundering accusations and coerce the victim into transferring money to their account promising to refund it. Soon, the victim realizes that he/she has been conned by the scammers. 

In Bengaluru, several people have been conned to the tune of Rs 5 crore. The police have registered 163 cases related to courier scam in 2023. Nearly 400 people have become victims of ‘FedEx scam’ beginning 2024 in Chennai.

How to avoid falling into the trap of these scammers?

• If you receive such a call, visit the official FedEx website to check the status of the package. Stop interacting with the caller
• Never share your UPI PIN, UPI ID, or other sensitive banking details with strangers over the phone
• If a call raises suspicions, hang up immediately. Scammers use sophisticated psychological tactics to manipulate their targets
• Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, are often targeted more frequently. Help educate your community about the signs of these scams
• If you suspect a scam, contact emergency services by dialing 1930, or visit the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station

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