A 40-year-old woman software engineer from Bengaluru, Karnataka, has become the latest victim of the ‘FedEx’ scam, losing Rs 1 crore to cybercriminals in just two days.
The scammers trapped her in a “digital arrest” by initially informing her of a parcel supposedly containing illegal substances sent in her name. Then, posing as law enforcement officers, they coerced her into making multiple money transfers.
Residing in the NRI Layout near Ramamurthynagar in Bengaluru East, the victim received a call from an unknown number on the morning of May 16. The caller, pretending to be a FedEx logistics executive, informed her that a parcel addressed to Taiwan in her name had been seized at Mumbai airport. The caller claimed that the parcel allegedly contained 200 grams of MDMA, several passports, and clothing, prompting a customs inquiry.
After the conversation, she received another call from someone claiming to be a Customs officer, escalating her anxiety by accusing her of involvement in a narcotics case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
As per The Indian Express report, the scammers went to great lengths to manipulate her, directing her to join a Skype call, isolate herself in a room, and avoid contacting anyone.
During the Skype conversation, they extracted personal information such as her Aadhaar number and simulated an official interrogation, projecting an environment resembling a police station. Despite her protests of innocence, they alleged that her bank accounts were linked to money laundering activities.
Exploiting her vulnerability, they portrayed the situation as a high-profile case, coercing her to transfer funds to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accounts for purported verification, promising legalising her assets thereafter.
Under pressure, she found herself trapped by their demands, transferring Rs 16 lakh to an account via a WhatsApp call, followed by an additional Rs 75 lakh while under constant surveillance at her bank. Upon returning home, she was compelled to transfer an additional Rs 9.3 lakh.
Expecting her funds to be returned after verification, which proved futile, she realised she had been scammed. The next day, she reported the incident to the police, leading to an investigation after filing a case, the publication reported.
WHAT IS “DIGITAL ARREST”?
While the term itself is made up, it is associated with the practice of monitoring a person digitally via audio-video calls. Neither the person is allowed to disconnect the call, nor they are informed that they’re being monitored.
In this scenario, cybercriminals manipulate or coerce individuals into believing they are under investigation or facing legal trouble. They often pose as personnel from government agencies such as the police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Department, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), or Enforcement Directorate (ED).
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