Cybercriminals have found a new avenue to deceive people by impersonating India Post officials, a method previously seen with FedEx scams. In a recent case, a retired 75-year-old government employee lost Rs 23.26 lakh after being tricked by fraudsters posing as India Post officials.
The scam unfolded when the victim was told that a parcel he had allegedly booked from Mumbai to Dubai contained suspicious items like police uniforms and IDs. The fraudsters, pretending to be police officers, warned the victim that his Aadhar details were being misused for money laundering and promised him a hefty commission of Rs 400 crore for cooperating. Under pressure, the victim transferred Rs 23.26 lakh to verify his credentials, only to be asked for another Rs 5 lakh for a so-called Supreme Court clearance fee. Realizing he had been scammed, the victim reported the incident to the local authorities.
The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has traced the scam to West Bengal, suspecting the use of mule accounts. With 89,783 cybercrime complaints in the state this year, authorities are urging caution, especially among retired individuals and housewives—prime targets of these frauds.
