Fake FedEx courier call: Beware of this latest cyber scam

In the new scam, perpetrators call people impersonating employees of popular courier service company FedEx.

Hyderabad: Technology has impacted every aspect of our lives today. Payments have become easier, shopping has become easier, buying groceries, ordering food, medicines, services… you name it! With so many chores being just a click away, there are now more avenues than ever for fraudsters and scamsters to pull off a variety of crimes.

The ease with which crimes are being carried out through the internet and on telephonic conversations is flabbergasting to say the least. Meanwhile, scamsters have now found another new way to target people.

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In the new scam, perpetrators call people impersonating employees of popular courier service company FedEx. As part of the scam, general public is frightened and tricked into sharing their bank account details or transferring money into some unspecified accounts.

This is how the scam works:

• Fraudsters call targeted persons claiming to be employees of the courier company and make people believe that there is some parcel being sent to them from foreign nations with illegal products or substances as contents.
• At times, the targeted persons may also be told that a parcel is being sent to some foreign country on their behalf, again with illegal articles as its contents. To sound legitimate, the perpetrators provide name and phone number of the targeted persons, claiming that the details are registered in FedEx’s database.
• Once the fraudsters manage to convince the targeted persons, they tell them that the parcel that they are supposed to receive/being sent on their behalf, has been seized by the customs officers.
• Later, the targeted person is contacted by someone claiming to be a police officer or a customs officer as part of an investigation. The targeted persons are also asked to keep the matter private.
• The fraudsters then send forged documents from an investigation agency, along with a fake arrest warrant in the name of the targeted person, saying that their Aadhaar Card and other details are being used for money laundering and other criminal activities.
• The perpetrators then collect the details of the person’s bank accounts or ask them to transfer money to unspecified accounts and promise to return the money up on verification by RBI.

FedEx-prescribed safety tips

The courier services company, on its official website, gave out security and safety tips to avoid falling prey to such frauds.

On its website, FedEx says that it does not request any personal information pertaining to any customer’s account via unsolicited mails, emails, calls or texts. The company warns against claims of delivery of packages in return for money.

FedEx also urges people not to provide any financial and personal details to callers claiming to be employees of the company.

Being vigilant and aware will not only help keep the scamsters at bay but it will also help in curbing the menace.