FedEx Scam: Fraudster cheats Bengaluru woman lawyer of Rs 15 lakh, makes her strip for ‘narcotics’ test; courier service cautions against sharing personal info for shipped goods

Bengaluru: A Bengaluru-based lawyer has been cheated of nearly Rs 15 lakh by cyber fraudster posing as cops and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths.

In insidious tactics, the fraudsters initially posed as Mumbai police personnel and later as an official from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), exploiting the victim's trust in law enforcement agencies.

The fraudsters created a sense of urgency and panic by falsely claiming that a shipment of narcotics had arrived in the victim's name through FedEx. They then emotionally manipulated and coerced the victim to extort money from her under the threat of legal consequences.

The perpetrators employed the tactics of intimidation and humiliation upon the victim by asking her to strip in front of a web camera for a supposed "narcotic test". They also resorted to blackmailing and extortion tactics by threatening to sell the victim's nude clips on the dark web if she did not comply with their demand.

The fraudsters also kept the victim on calls for around 36 hours with an unrelenting determination to exploit her, exacerbating the victim's distress and susceptibility to coercion.

In its response, FedEx made it clear that they do not solicit personal information through unsolicited phone calls, mail, or emails for goods being shipped or held unless requested or initiated by customers.

FedEx advised individuals who receive suspicious phone calls or messages not to provide personal information. Instead, they should immediately contact local law enforcement authorities or report the incident to the cybercrime department of the Government of India to prevent further exploitation and help in catching the perpetrators.

FedEx said individuals should be cautious when sharing personal information online or over the phone and should be aware of common tactics used by fraudsters.

"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," the company said in a statement.

"If any individual receives any suspicious phone calls or messages, they are advised not to provide their personal information. Instead, they should immediately contact the local law enforcement authorities within the vicinity or report to the cybercrime department of the Government of India," the courier company said.