In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 40-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru lost Rs 1 crore in just 48 hours!

 The victim, a private firm employee residing in the NRI Layout near Ramamurthynagar in Bengaluru East, fell prey to an elaborate FedEx scam that began with a call on the morning of May 16. The caller, pretending to be a FedEx logistics executive, informed her that a parcel sent in her name to Taiwan contained 200 grams of MDMA, several passports, and clothing, leading to a customs case at Mumbai airport. Shortly after, a second call from a man posing as a Customs officer escalated her panic by claiming a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act had been registered against her. He explained that her name and mobile number were on the sender’s address.

 The fraudsters then instructed her to join a Skype call, advising her to lock herself in a room and not inform anyone. During the Skype call, they obtained her Aadhaar number and connected her to what seemed to be the Mumbai police crime branch, complete with a backdrop resembling a police station. The scammers soon turned off their camera but insisted she keep hers on, simulating a formal interrogation.

 Despite her pleas of innocence, the fraudsters claimed that Aadhaar verification implicated her bank accounts in money laundering. They described it as a high-profile, sensitive case and demanded she transfer money to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accounts for verification, promising her money and assets would be legalized afterward.

 The next day, she received a WhatsApp call instructing her to transfer Rs 16 lakh to an account. Complying, she was then directed to her bank, where she transferred another Rs 75 lakh while being continuously monitored. After returning home, she was coerced into transferring an additional Rs 9.3 lakh. Expecting her funds to be returned within 30 minutes after verification, she waited in vain. Realizing she had been scammed, she reported the incident to the police, who have since launched a probe.

 This incident highlights a common modus operandi of online fraudsters: contacting potential victims under the guise of having sent or received packages containing illegal items such as drugs or fake passports. They often use images or identities of law enforcement personnel to appear legitimate and demand money in exchange for a ‘compromise’ and closure of the case. In some instances, victims are falsely “digitally arrested” and coerced into remaining visible over platforms like Skype until the criminals' demands are met. In response to these scams, FedEx issued a statement: “FedEx does not request personal information through unsolicited phone calls, mail, or email for goods being shipped or held unless requested or initiated by customers. If any individual receives any suspicious phone calls or messages, they are advised not to provide their personal information. Instead, they should immediately contact local law enforcement authorities or report to the cybercrime department of the government of India