Beware of ‘Drugs in Parcel’ fraud

There is a steady increase of people opting for online shopping and services through the usage of mobilephones and laptops. Fraudsters are taking its advantage, targeting senior citizens and others, duping them through various online methods to make quick money. One such method is ‘Drugs in Parcel’ fraud. Read on to know and be aware about such frauds, preventive steps, online helpline and more

Modus Operandi

In ‘Drugs in Parcel’ fraud, the fraudster calls from an unknown mobile number identifying himself as an officer from Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), to inform the victim that his/ her parcel containing drugs has been seized by customs department and complaint has been lodged in this regard. Later they are coerced to make huge money transfers on various pretexts and to avoid getting arrested.

Case Study

A 69-year-old woman from a prominent business family in Koregaon Park, Pune, was duped in May 2024 of Rs2.08 crore through cyber extortion in an online drugs in parcel fraud.

A cybercriminal posing as a NCB officer on a video call told her that a police complaint has been lodged against her, as a total of 120 LSD strips have been found in her parcel intercepted by customs. She was coerced into transferring Rs2.08 crore of her life savings.

The victim has lodged a complaint about it at the Cyber Police Station of Pune city on 4 May, 2024. She received a call in the last week of April, this year, from a man posing as an executive of an international courier service, stating that customs department has seized a parcel sent by her containing five passports and 120 strips of LSD. Further she was told that NCB had registered a case against her under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for this parcel bound for Iran. She was asked to connect on a video call with its officer.

Posing as NCB officials, the fraudsters coerced her to make multiple large money transfers, ranging from `18 lakh to `45 lakh per day, over the next nine days, to avoid getting arrested. She lives alone and without consulting her family members, she transferred the money totaling `2.08 crore to the account number given by the fraudsters.

The victim became suspicious on reading news reports about parcel frauds and sought help from her daughter and son-in-law. On their advice, she lodged a complaint with the cyber police.

Meenal Supe-Patil, senior police inspector, Cyber Police station, Pune, who is investigating the case said, “We have frozen all the involved bank accounts and managed to recover only `24,000. All types of online frauds are increasing so the people should be cautious and not to believe in calls from unknown numbers giving threats of arrest on any pretext as well as not to reveal your bank account details, Aadhar card number and other sensitive information.”

One can call and report about any online financial frauds on the national cybercrime helpline number-1930. Moreover, you can report any cybercrime on www.cybercrime.gov.in. and follow the instructions on the website to lodge a complaint or track its status.

PREVENTIVE STEPS

• Do not believe in calls from unknown callers stating that your parcel containing drugs has been caught by customs department.
• Do not believe in threats of arrest due to drugs being found in your parcel.
• Do not panic and share bank account and statement details with unknown people.
• Do not transfer money to unknown accounts on the unknown caller’s demand.