Hyderabad: In wake of rising instances of cyber frauds with scamsters posing as customs and enforcement officers to scare potential victims into giving them money, the Cyberabad Police on Thursday, September 26, issued an advisory explaining how cyber-frauds happen when the victims are manipulated with fear.
In such cases, fraudsters call up victims telling them a FedEx courier containing illegal substances has been registered in their names and then eventually ask them to pay money to avoid the alleged criminality. The Cyberabad police in a release explained the modus operandi of the “FedEx Scams”, by dividing the entire method of scamming into different stages of manipulation.
Making Initial Contact: Potential victims receive a call from a fraudster posing as a law enforcement officer, mostly describing themselves as Police or Customs officers in Mumbai or a FedEx company representative. In the call, they inform the victim that a parcel registered in their name, sent via the international courier service, FedEx, contains a host of illegal substances, including drugs or counterfeit or incriminating documents.
Threatening legal actions: The scammers impersonating government officials would go on to threaten the victim of imminent arrest, inducing fear in the victims’ minds. The victims would be accused of being linked with serious criminal cases and ask for further personal information, that they’d later use against the victims, in the name of ‘verification’. The scammers would threaten the victims of arrest and legal repercussions unless they comply with their demands. They’d mostly demand to transfer money to avoid arrest or legal consequences.
Digital Hostage: After inducing fear of arrests, victims may be coerced into isolating themselves, cutting off communication with their family and friends, and following the scammer’s instructions. This may include transferring money, sharing personal details, or handing over control of online accounts (such as banking or social media). The scammers would ask the victims to appear before a court or the investigations in a faraway location within a timeframe that is impossible to reach, and threaten them to impose increased incrimination over failing to reach the location the scammers mention.
Psychological Manipulation: Fraudsters use the tactics of inducing fear in the minds of the victims, creating a sense of urgency about the situation and persuading victims to act according to the scammer’s instructions, without verifying the legitimacy of the claims. Scammers may instruct victims not to inform about what is happening to anyone else, claiming it’s part of the investigation.
Demanding instant fund transfers to avoid repercussions and arrests: The scammers would provide bank account details and demand huge amounts of money to avoid arrests.
Protect yourself from scammers and know your rights
The Cyberabad Police advised citizens to watch out when they receive unexpected calls and to avoid sharing personal information with unknown persons. It is advised to talk about any unknown calls to your close ones or friends at the point of suspicious contact.
In India, law enforcement follows due process, which includes formal notices and in-person meetings, not threatening phone calls. No Indian governmental agency has the right to question or threaten a citizen over phone calls or video calls.
Report instances of scam attempts immediately to cybercrime police. Citizens are encouraged to report to the cybercrime units by calling the hotline at 1930 or filing a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
During instances of potential scamming, it is really important to stay calm and avoid panic. The Cyberabad Police encourages citizens to stay informed and vigilant and urges them to always verify every piece of information, to keep themselves safe from cyberfrauds.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Parameswaran Valeri | 
