The "FedEx parcel scam" is on the rise, with fraudsters impersonating courier services to claim delivery issues. They trick recipients into providing personal details or making payments, while FedEx warns they never ask for such information unsolicited
Published Dec 04, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Dec 04, 2024 | 5:57 PM
On a Wednesday afternoon, while engrossed in writing an article, I received a call from an unfamiliar number. The automated voice on the other end claimed there was an issue with a FedEx parcel and instructed me to press a specific number for more information.
Having received at least three such calls in a week, I knew that this was a potential scam. I have often played along and abused the caller. However, this time, since I was in the office, I asked my colleague Nolan Pinto if we could record this conversation to expose the scamsters.
With a rise in the number of cybercrimes where fraudsters pose as law enforcement officers, this reporter tried to play along with the scamster to check whether I could unravel anything important.
In most cases, the callers prompt the potential victims to divulge their details and make them believe an inexistent “digital arrest”. The digital arrest is usually made after making the victims believe that a parcel containing “illegal” substances was shipped using their identity.
This reporter attended the call and recorded it to make people aware of the modus operandi of the scamsters, despite the risk of the footage being manipulated for blackmail, including sextortion.
Screenshot from the video call.
In this reporter’s case, after pressing the indicated number, I was connected to a person claiming to be a FedEx representative.
He told me that customs have intercepted a parcel with some illegal items and I had to speak to the customs official.
To my surprise the caller even asked me if “I am comfortable speaking in English, Hindi or Kannad?”
I should have probably gone with “Kannad” (read Kannada). However, I chose to speak to an official who could explain the issue in English.
The call was then transferred to one “Mandeep Singh”, who claimed to be a customs inspector with ID number 062/054.
Officer Mandeep Singh: What is your name?
Me: Chetana
Officer Mandeep Singh: What is your full name?
Me: Chetana R
Officer Mandeep Singh: There is a parcel in your name containing 140g of MDMA, 16 passports, 58 ATM cards and 8 laptops sent to Malaysia to one Mr Wangzhang, Malaysia, Jalan Subang, MAS Section 24, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Do you know what is MDMA?
Me: (not wanting to waste time) Yes. I know it’s a drug and it’s illegal to possess it. I have not sent this parcel.
Officer Mandeep Singh: Are you sure you have not sent this parcel? Where are you located?
Me: Yes. I am sure. I am located in Bengaluru.
Officer: Have you ever lost your Aadhar card?
Me: Yes. Last month.
Officer: Have you filed any complaint?
Me: Unfortunately no.
Officer: That must have been the reason. Someone has used your ID and sent this package to Malaysia. Now, you can be arrested for this. First, you will be under digital arrest and then a team of officials will reach your address to physically arrest you.
Me: What do I do now?
Officer: You have two options. Since you are not in Mumbai, you can either take the next flight and go there or lodge this complaint over phone now. I can transfer the call right away.
Me: Ok please transfer.
Officer: Please ensure you write down all the contents of the parcel and the address properly and inform the police that you spoke to Customs Inspector Mandeep Singh.
Me: Ok.
I was then connected to an automated message which said, “As per rules, the call is being recorded.”
I had to wait as my call was being connected to a police station in Mumbai. The call was then connected to a number, and at this point I realised we should ideally video record the whole incident.
I asked my colleage Nolan to immediately start recording the call.
A few seconds later, a man, whose accent was very much like a person from Kerala, provided authentication details and the background noises suggested a police station, with walkie talkie etc.
The man with the Kerala accent said, “Constable Arun Kumar here. Who is speaking?”
Me: My name is Chetana. I got a call now from the customs department and one inspector Mandeep Singh spoke to me. He said a parcel in my name has gone to Malaysia with 16 passports, MDMA etc in it. I had lost my Aadhar card last month and I did not file a complaint. They said I have to lodge a complaint with Mumbai police but I am not in Mumbai.
Constable: Ok. So do you have details of that?
Me: Yes. I have (I had ensured that I note down all of the details as I knew the check was to understand if I am a gullible person or not!) The constable wanted me to repeat the details of the parcel number etc and I did all of that.
Parcel no was IND 6835461720
ID Number was 401811759660
Paid amount: ₹5,987 has been paid against the parcel.
(The constable even asked me to spell the name of the person to whom the fictitious parcel was addressed. He said “OK” each time I spelt a word, and there were sounds of a keyboard, as if he was typing it all out.)
Constable: What is your good name?
Me: Chetana
Constable: From where you are calling? (Notice the mistakes in sentence formation)
Me: Bangalore
Constable: How old are you?
Me: 42
Constable: Just hold a second. (Then types something and gets back on the call)
So, Chetana, I checked the details. The parcel is with Mumbai Customs as the parcel has some illegal substances. This MDMA is dangerous.
Me: I know. I know. It is illegal and that’s why I was worried (Trying to display some acting skills!)
Constable: Are you sure you didn’t send it?
Me: No way.
Constable: We will conduct a thorough investigation. This is an identity scam! We will investigate and report it to Customs.
Can you come to the Mumbai police station?
Me: No I cannot travel to Mumbai as I am in Bangalore.
Constable: Since you cannot come to Mumbai, I will assist you with the investigation on the phone. For this, we will have to record the whole call on the recording system. For which we will be calling you on WhatsApp.
Me: My phone will be with my husband. I don’t want my family to know about this. Can we connect on Zoom?
Constable: No, you just come to Mumbai police station or you will be arrested if you don’t file the complaint in two hours. (He speaks continuously).
Me: Can I give my friend’s number? I will you call right away.
Constable: Tell me your number?
Me: It’s the same number that you have called. You don’t have it?
Constable: Your call was connected to an automated machine right? How will I have your number?
Me: (at that point realised I could share my colleague’s official number) To this number I received a WhatsApp message sent from +91 8374556215. The caller’s name was displayed as Amit Kumar; the Ashoka Chakra was set as the display picture.
Message on WhatsApp said: “Mumbai Police station, HC Amitkumar here”
Me: Chetana R, Are you calling sir? (two minutes later)
To my surprise, I saw a young boy with spectacles sitting in a police uniform; the background had been made to look quite like a police station. At this point, I realised how thousands of elderly persons could have fallen into the trap.
Constable (on video): Hello Chetana, am I audible to you? We are going to start recording. Before we do that there are certain rules you need to follow. This recording will be submitted to the court so there should not be any kind of interruption. The phone should not be switched off. First, make sure there is enough battery on your phone.
Me: My phone’s battery is full. No problem.
Constable: You have to be in an independent place. Are you in an independent place?
Me: Yes. I am
Constable: Announces the case number and asks me for ID number? First tell me your full name.
Me: Chetana R
Constable: Tell me your Aadhar number
Me: (At this point I was concerned that revealing my Aadhar number would not be safe and I tried to speak to the constable to convince him that I do not share such details)
Me: I am worried to share my Aadhar number on the phone.
Constable: When did you lose your Aadhar card?
Me: Last month
Constable: Where did you give the complaint?
Me: I did not make any complaint. That was a mistake. I should have made one.
Constable: I’m asking you: Why did you not give a complaint? (In a tone of authority, anger!)
Me: I didn’t think much of it. I generated my Aadhar and took a printout.
Constable: You thought it was ok not to lodge a complaint when you lost Aadhar. Now, for police complaint you can’t register complaint. Ok? if you are so much careful, you won’t be in so much situation.
Me: Any other way to register this complaint?
Constable: Silence. Then, do you have passport.
Me: No. I have applied I haven’t got it yet.
Constable: Ok then wait one minute. Customs people will be near your house. They will find out the address and come. We don’t have time to waste.
Me: I don’t want to give my Aadhar ID. My husband will get to know.
Constable: Without any identification, we cannot register complaint.
Me: If parcel has come in my name then they will have my ID right?
Constable: (Irritated by now!) So, then, should I ask impostors to give your Aadhar ID?
Me: No…I am not saying that…but
Constable: Parcel is with customs and you are not serious about this?
Me: I am thinking I lost my Aadhar in Bangalore and parcel went from Mumbai how did it go?
Constable: (silence) Chethaana (note the accent!) First thing, I am a police officer. I am not here to answer your questions. There is no investigation happen. There is no complaint register. How will I answer this kind of question? If this is misuse I should find out.
Me: Problem is I have not told anyone at home. I am worried about telling them. You are saying MDMA etc. So I don’t want to give Aadhaar.
Constable: Customs have already put this on the group. We are waiting for address. This will be escalated to the court. This is MDMA and surely you will be in jail for at least 20 days. If you don’t want family to get involved then they will only arrest us.
Me: Can you call tomorrow. I am in office.
Constable: No Chethaana. Customs within two hours….They can hold it only for two hours. Only after I give.
Me: Can I give money and hold the parcel till tomorrow? I don’t know what to do. If I give money can we postpone?
Constable: Do you think police is here to sit and take money? (Shouts!) Do you think police can take money and settle this…ah…You are paying money for us.
Me: No…I am not saying I will give money to you. I can’t give my Aadhar ID. Just checking if there is another way.
Constable: Take a flight from Kempegowda International Airport to Shivajinagar…Chatrapati Shivaji Airport in Mumbai. You are offering bribe to a police officer. I will file one more case against you.
Me: (Lost patience by then) I will go to the local police station and file a complaint there. Is there any number I can give to the local police?
Constable: I did not give you details. Customs people did. You tell them that you got a call from Chatrapati Shivaji Airport regarding a parcel. Say that when I called the Mumbai police they asked for my ID and since I failed to give that, they told me to lodge a complaint with local police.
Interestingly, he even repeated his name! Thrilled with this video recording, I called a source of mine from Bengaluru’s cybercrime department.
What my source told me shocked both Nolan and I and we were absolutely unaware of this!
Meanwhile, Manju Mehra, a cybercrime enthusiast explained that most of the scamsters have now realised that FedEx and DHL scams are not working and have now come up with Bangalore traffic police or kidnap drama, new scams.
They might even say that one’s child has been picked up by police and demand money to get the child out of police custody – there are occasions when people have checked on their children and found them at home.
There are also occasions when parents, struck by panic, have fallen into the trap and lost money. The display picture on the WhatsApp number is usually of a police officer, and gullible people might be fooled.
One officer explained that many people in Bengaluru have fallen for what is called the “accident scam”.
An automated message says, “Hello. This is Bangalore traffic police. An accident report has been filed against you. To know more press zero.”
There is another call that is making the rounds: “Hello dear customer. This is a call from Mobiquick pay later. We have got a request for making a transaction of ₹1,429 from an unknown device. If you have not done this, press 1. To cancel this transaction request, please dial the six-digit verification code that you have received. This is for the safety of your account.”
Curious to know how the person at the other end sounded like a Malayalee, this reporter spoke with a cybercrime official and was surprised to learn that with an intention to make the scam as foolproof as possible, the scamsters have made recruitments across all the states!
A police officer working in the cybercrime cell, on condition of anonymity, said, “Scamsters have become very professional. Several gangs have come up and thousands of people are getting scammed every day. They are finding one or the other new tactic.”
This reporter engaged with the scamster thinking she would expose the scam. It was only later that we realised that the network of these scamsters is so big that they can use what they have learnt in this first call with video recording to try scamming a second time.
The cybercrime officer explained to this reporter that in a chilling new trend, technology is being used to falsely accuse people of watching pornography, including child pornography. Manipulated video evidence is provided.
“This sophisticated scam begins with a phone call or message from individuals posing as law enforcement or cybersecurity officials. Victims are accused of illegal online activities and pressured into a video call under the guise of “verification.”
During the call, scamsters record the victim and use advanced video editing or AI-powered deepfake technology to alter the background, making it appear as though the victim is engaged in illicit activities,” said the official.
Once the fabricated video is created, the fraudsters threaten to leak it online or send it to the victim’s family, employer, or authorities unless a ransom is paid.
These scams rely heavily on psychological manipulation, using fear and shame to coerce victims into compliance, she explained.
She said the professionalisation of these scams is making them increasingly effective. Fraudsters now employ teams fluent in regional languages to enhance credibility and reach victims across India.
While she asked this reporter to immediately file a complaint with cybercrime police she also said that “once the money is paid or the IDs are revealed it is very difficult to track them down. The first thing the authorities can do is to urge the public to remain vigilant and report such incidents immediately,”
People are also advised never to engage in unsolicited video calls or provide personal information to unknown callers.
If anyone falls prey to such crime or receives such calls reach out to cybercrime.gov.in. Call 1930 for help
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas)
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