Mangaluru: A 44-year-old woman from Mangaluru has fallen victim to an elaborate online parcel scam, losing a total of ₹6.84 lakh to fraudsters who posed as international courier agents.

According to police, the victim was targeted through a series of WhatsApp calls from international numbers, with the accused exploiting her trust by claiming to deliver a parcel allegedly sent by her husband, who is employed in Dubai.

Scam begins with fake parcel claim

As per the complaint, the incident began on April 21 when the woman received a WhatsApp call from an unknown international number while she was at home. The caller informed her that a parcel had been sent by her husband and would be processed through a “FedEx cargo service.”

Given that her husband frequently sends household items from Dubai, the claim appeared genuine, and she did not initially suspect any foul play.

False claims of high-value contents

On April 27, the fraudsters contacted her again, escalating the deception by claiming that the parcel contained valuable items including gold, British pounds, a diamond watch, and a bag. They further stated that the total value of the parcel was around ₹5.5 crore and that it had been shipped via air cargo.

This was followed by instructions on April 28 to contact another phone number for further processing of the delivery.

Payments made under multiple pretexts

When the woman contacted the given number, she was told to pay ₹1,10,500 as customs charges to release the parcel. Trusting the callers, she transferred the amount.

Subsequently, the fraudsters continued to demand more money under various pretexts. They claimed that the parcel contained high-value items and required payment of ₹4,48,000 as GST charges. When the victim hesitated, they agreed to accept half the amount, prompting her to transfer ₹2,24,000.

Later, the scammers again contacted her, stating that only partial GST had been paid and demanded the remaining ₹2,24,000 along with ₹30,000 as documentation charges. Acting under pressure, she deposited ₹2,50,000 in cash.

Final stage of fraud and realisation

In the final stage of the scam, the fraudsters claimed that the parcel contained 1 lakh pounds and required ₹3,80,000 to convert it into Indian currency. When the woman refused to pay such a large amount, they negotiated and agreed to process the conversion for ₹1,00,000, promising that she would receive ₹32 lakh by 7 pm the same day.

Believing the assurance, she transferred ₹1,00,000. However, no parcel was delivered, and the promised amount never materialised.

It was only after repeated failed attempts to contact the callers and no delivery that the woman realised she had been duped.

Police case registered, investigation underway

The victim subsequently approached the police and filed a complaint. Officials have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the fraud.

Police have reiterated that such scams often involve impersonation of courier services and exploit victims by creating urgency and offering high-value returns. They have urged the public to remain cautious while dealing with unsolicited calls, especially those demanding money for parcel clearance or financial processing.

Conclusion

The case underscores the growing sophistication of cyber fraud and the need for increased public awareness. Authorities advise citizens to verify the authenticity of such claims directly with official courier services and avoid making payments without proper confirmation.

With cyber scams on the rise, vigilance and timely verification remain key to preventing financial loss.