Name of Complainant	Nupur Mehra
Date of Complaint	January 6, 2024
Name(s) of companies complained against	FedEx, Kotak Mahindra bank, Punjab National Bank
Category of complaint	Cyber Crime
Permanent link of complaint	Right click to copy link
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On the morning of December 11, 2023, at around 11:58 am, I received an alarming call purportedly from a representative of FedEx, claiming that a parcel sent from Mumbai to Taiwan was being detained due to the discovery of illicit contents. The caller provided specific details about the parcel, including its sender, receiver, and a disturbing list of items, such as drugs. He asked me to note down the details and promised to help me get out of this situation. The situation escalated when they mentioned my Aadhar card being associated with the shipment, insisting on my involvement and offering assistance to file a complaint with the Mumbai Cyber Cell.

Initially, a seemingly professional individual initiated the conversation, stressing the need for secrecy and offering the option to either travel to Mumbai or file the complaint online. Choosing the latter, the conversation shifted to Skype, where I was asked to connect with the Mumbai Crime Branch username. Background discussions mimicked a team of officers, and I was informed that my Aadhar card was being investigated for potential misuse. Cautionary advice was given about the use of Aadhar card copies, and details about recent hotel or flight bookings were requested. The demeanour was helpful, leading me to share relevant information. Another officer revealed that my identity had been misused for three months, connecting to instances of money laundering involving a person named “Mohammed Aslam.” They even sent photos of the alleged criminal, whom I had no knowledge of.

The conversation escalated further, with an individual posing as a ‘DCP’ taking charge. They both shared their fake police IDs on Skype to prove their authenticity. They insisted on verifying all my accounts, warning of potential freezing if information wasn’t provided. I was instructed to share bank details and a screenshot of my Aadhar card. They claimed communication with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and requested a funds transfer for investigative purposes. They even promised to pay back the money after 25-30 minutes and that they would talk to my parents to explain the situation. I asked them what the logic was behind sending them the amount they had asked to which they harassed me further and accused me of arguing with them to buy time. I was panic-stricken and I asked them if I could consult my parents before transferring such a hefty amount. After this, they started bullying me and scared me more by saying that my family could be in danger if I spoke to anyone about this.

By this time, I was extremely terrified and following their instructions, I transferred Rs 98,884 using my Kotak Mahindra iMobile app.
Details of the transaction are below:
Date & Time: 11 December 2023 at 1:43PM
Amount: Rs 98884.00
Beneficiary Name: MUMRB
Bank Name: Punjab National Bank
Account Number: 1098102100000765
IFSC: PUNB0718300
Remarks: 2212185

The conversation then shifted to a detailed review of my bank transactions. As doubts began to surface, I was asked to transfer funds between accounts. Skepticism grew, leading me to question their intentions. Their demeanour turned hostile, sharing a supposed police officer’s ID in the Skype chat. Despite growing suspicions, I succumbed to the pressure and made the initial transfer. However, as they urged for more significant amounts, my realisation of a potential scam prompted me to abruptly end the call.

The entire experience was distressing, revealing the perpetrators’ expertise in exploiting emotions, inducing fear, dependency, and a sense of helplessness.

I am requesting the concerned authorities to compensate me for the monetary losses I have faced due to this incident and take serious action against these scammers.

Image Uploaded by Nupur Mehra: