How I Almost Fell Victim to FedEx Phone Scam – & How You can Avoid

One ordinary morning, my phone rang. Thinking it was a regular call, I picked up to hear what seemed like FedEx customer care. But as we spoke, things got strange. What started as a simple conversation turned into a confusing mess of lies. I couldn’t believe how I got caught up in it all.

Here’s How I Almost Fell Victim to a FedEx Phone Scam

It’s a regular morning, and I’m busy with my usual tasks when my phone rings. It’s FedEx customer service IVR, mentioning a problem with a package delivery. As I went on to know more, I got connected with a person named Naveen Kumar, who told me something unbelievable – he said that I’d sent a package to Taiwan from Mumbai. But wait a minute! I don’t live in Mumbai, and I’ve never sent anything to Taiwan in my life.

I noted down all the details thrown at me — courier receipt number, pick-up address, destination, and everything else related to the courier. But here’s where it gets really weird: the package supposedly contains passports, credit cards, clothes, a laptop, and even drugs. Who in their right mind would declare drugs on a courier package, let alone specify the quantity?

To top it off, the payment was supposedly made with a credit card that definitely isn’t mine. And—according to FedEx, I sent this mysterious package off on March 14th from Mumbai. How is it possible that…? I haven’t visited Mumbai recently, nor have I engaged in any activity involving sending suspicious packages to Taiwan.

So, I did what any sane and sensible person would do—I asked some questions. The person on the other side suggested that I get in touch with Mumbai Cyber Crime Branch. On asking for the number, Naveen Kumar directly transferred my call to the Mumbai Cyber Crime Branch. Now since when does FedEx have a direct line to cybercrime units?

Next thing I know, I’m talking to Inspector Prakash Kumar Guntu.

He was in a hurry to prove the legitimacy of his post by sharing his ID card (as shown in the pic above)  so he asked me to switch to Skype from the phone call. Maybe he was trying to be secure at his end. The fact is that I was not even doubting or questioning his identity. But here’s the catch—his video stays off the whole time. So I couldn’t help but wonder how I could verify if he was genuine.

Then, to my shock, he revealed that my Aadhar card was tangled up in various suspicious activities. To add to the drama, he throws in a  name –  Mohammad Islam Malik, claiming he’s been using my Aadhar card for his mischief. He even flashes a pic for good measure.

He started questioning me, digging into the details of my trips, finances, and even my savings. The weirdest part of this nonsense conversation was his warning to keep everything secret, even from my spouse. He went on with a story about a doctor who suffered severe consequences for sharing similar secrets with their loved ones. 

The whole situation feels like a courier fraud setup, and it’s not the only case of forgery out there. People face countless incidents of cheating and trickery every day. The only weapon to keep yourself guarded against such scams is your prompt decision-making ability. But it depends on how watchful and vigilant you are about such con games and fraudulent schemes.

1. Understanding the Gravity of a Scam

Technology has made it easier for scammers to sneak into our lives. India is facing a serious problem with FedEx courier fraud, and the numbers are pretty alarming. In 2023, Bengaluru Police recorded a significant 163 cases, with the total loss exceeding INR 5 crore. Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, 390 people got caught up in the FedEx scam within a brief two-month period.

The table shows frauds in India in the year 2023, which amounts to INR 30,000 crores.
Sourced from Forbes 

The above stats shown in the table are alarming. But before we speak about the ways to identify such scams and how we can stop them, the more important thing for us is to understand the process and gravity of such digital con games. The impact of such frauds being this huge, we need to be more vigilant and aware of these scams to safeguard our financial and privacy interests.

2. How a Phone or Email Scam Looks Like

Modern smarter and more secure means of communication have become avenues for scammers to cheat and exploit ignorant individuals from distant and anonymous locations. However, it’s important to recognize that technology merely facilitates these scams—the real culprit lies in the motive and modus operandi that drive them to trap their targets in trickery.

Let’s understand how this goes:

2.1) Understanding the Modus Operandi of Phone Scams

The FedEx phone scam often starts with an innocent phone call or voicemail, supposedly from someone at FedEx. The caller sounds professional and might even give a fake employee ID or reference to make it seem real. This gets the person tricked into giving away personal information or money.

2.2) These Scams are All About Exploiting Trust and Urgency

Scammers go to great lengths to make their deception seem real. They exploit people’s senses of  trust, fear, and greed to make them drop their guard and do whatever they want. This is how they delude their targets to get access to users’ sensitive finance and banking details and later rip off their hard-earned money.

3. Identifying Digital Dacoits and Red Flags to Watch Out

Ever wondered how scammers pick and trick their targets? ” An Indian web show, Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega—which was released on Netflix in 2020, narrates it well. Surprising and equally shocking is that the web show is inspired by real events. The show depicts how secondary school passout teenagers turned this small city in Jharkhand into the phishing capital of the country.

Protecting yourself from scams starts with understanding how they work. We’ve simplified the psychology behind scams and provided some cues and red flags to watch out for:

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

• Unsolicited communications seeking personal or financial details through emails, messages, or calls.
• Unusual activities related to your financial accounts and credit reports.
• Fake job offers promising high earnings with minimal effort.
• Investment schemes offering high returns with little or no risk.
• False calls, messages or emails and fraudulent websites (with no HTTPS encryption) that appear legitimate.
• Illegitimate charitable organisations requesting donations for fake causes of goodwill.
• Communications seeking remote access to your phone and other devices.
• Mega prizes or lottery offers that draw out individuals into revealing personal details or sending money.

4. How Scams Impact Victims

Besides damaging trust, relationships, and reputation, fraud and deception lead to more security and psychological worries in the future. Scammers’ phoney courage to play tricks on a technology expert like me gives me a clear sense of how harsh the scenario can be for common individuals. Honestly speaking, it’s far more distressing than just losing your wallet—these scams hurt emotionally.

Here is what victims may experience after they have been through a scam:

• Monetary losses due to fraudulent transactions or theft that affect savings, assets, identity, and credit scores.
• Stress, anxiety, depression, and feelings of betrayal, vulnerability, and embarrassment push victims into a mental breakdown.
• Disruption in normal routines and responsibilities.
• Lost trust in authorities, institutions, businesses, or even friends and family members in some cases.
• Less confidence in online and remote transactions which affects the government’s efforts to promote inclusivity.
• Struggle of restoring everything that is lost.

5. How to Protect Yourself from Scams

Scammers have gone beyond the traditional means of communication, e.g., phone calls, text messages, and emails to carry through their fraudulent schemes. With more advanced and secure instant messaging platforms and digital channels, scammers have more secure tools at their disposal to carry out their forged schemes.

If you want to stay one step ahead of the scammers, the only too that can work is your knowledge. Here are key things every individual needs to be aware of:

5.1) Verify the identity of the caller or sender

It is important to verify the identity of the caller or the email sender.  Take tech support scams, for instance, where Indian fraudsters impersonated authorised tech support professionals from Microsoft and looted elderly Americans in the name of remote technical assistance.

5.2) Be cautious of unsolicited communications

Avoid entertaining unsolicited communication seeking your sensitive information—be aware that no legitimate entity in the world asks for user-sensitive details out of the blue.

5.3) Contact the company directly

If you receive any message or call from an individual or organisation that seems legitimate, do not act promptly on the call or message. Contact the company or the organisation directly on the toll-free customer service number that is put on its website.

5.4) Educate yourself and others about common scams

Keep yourself updated on the latest scams circulating online and the kinds of contemporary technologies scammers are using. This is how you not only protect yourself but also ensure the security of others around you by spreading awareness about such scams.

5.5) Secure your personal information

The most crucial in the risk-prone digital space is to keep your personal and private details secure. Always use strong passwords and keep updating them regularly. You can add an extra layer of security by enabling extra-protection authentication on personal and banking accounts.

5.6) Do not allow access to your personal and banking information

Keep sensitive information such as banking particulars, ATM PIN, and login credentials for net banking and email accounts secure and accessible only to yourself.  This might not sound like a scam but a true example of negligence that a Hyderabad woman’s bank balance was wiped out after her teenage son lost Rs 36 lakh on mobile gaming. 

5.7) Install antivirus and security software and update them regularly

Keep your devices safe by installing trusted antivirus software and keeping your firewall active. Ensure devices accessing sensitive accounts are connected to secure WiFi networks. Also, keep your system and apps updated to protect your data and online activities from new threats.

6. Steps to Take If You Suspect a Scam

You don’t need to be a pro-level technology expert to smell a scam. If you happen to have any such unsolicited communication on a phone call, message, or email, there are high chance of you falling into the trap.

If you have recently been caught by any such incidence of forgery, here is what you can do: 

6.1) Inform Your Family and friends

Immediately share the incident with your friends, family, and colleagues. This is how you can quickly build a network of support that you may require to strengthen your efforts for handling the situation.

6.2) Report the Incident to the Local Police and Relevant Authorities

Local police are the first in the line of communication in the event of a scam. If scammers pretend to be real businesses or organisations, it’s also important to tell the actual company or group, as I informed FedEx in my case. It helps them protect their customers and stop the fraud from happening again.

6.3) Seek assistance from Consumer Protection Agencies

If you have been trapped in a scam, you can reach:

• RBI’s ‘National Helpline’ at 155260 to seek assistance, mediation, and legal help.
• National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) at 1930 governed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Online at https://www.cybercrime.gov.in/ to file a complaint.
  

  Summing-up

  To be safe online, we need to focus on security and awareness to avoid scams. By staying vigilant and acting early, we can lessen the damage. With the right tools and knowledge, we can truly make a difference in spotting and making others aware of the dangers.

First Published on Linkedin by the Author