A 29-year-old lawyer in Bengaluru has fallen victim to a Rs 15 lakh scam orchestrated by fraudsters impersonating CBI officers in the infamous “FedEx” scam. The criminals manipulated her into stripping during a video call, falsely claiming it was for a “narcotics test”. This harrowing episode spanned nearly 35 hours, during which the perpetrators recorded her and extorted ransom by threatening to sell the incriminating footage on the dark web.
The saga began like many other courier scam cases. The complainant received a call, ostensibly from the courier company FedEx, informing her of a parcel containing illicit substances supposedly sent in her name to Thailand. However, this seemingly routine call took a sinister turn.
The caller swiftly transformed into an individual posing as a Mumbai policeman, coercing her into downloading Skype and initiating a chat. Soon after, a person identifying himself as a CBI officer named Abhishek Chauhan joined the conversation. This imposter accused the lawyer of involvement in human trafficking, money laundering, and identity theft, pressuring her to divulge personal information, including her bank and Aadhaar details.
Under the guise of “official procedure,” the fake CBI officer warned her against sharing any information with anyone, even law enforcement. Throughout the night of April 3, the victim was coerced into keeping the video call active and sharing her screen. The following day, she received instructions to transfer money to a designated account, ostensibly for the verification of her transactions.
The situation escalated dramatically on April 5, after 1 am. The fraudulent “CBI officer” demanded that she strip during a Skype call, falsely claiming it was part of a “narcotics test”. Threats of arrest, harm to her family, and exposure of the video on the dark web followed. Finally, the lawyer reached out to the police, who subsequently registered a case of cheating and extortion under the IPC, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.
“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. 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.”
FedEx has unequivocally stated that it does not request personal information through unsolicited calls or emails related to shipments. The company’s recent statement emphasized that they never seek personal details unless specifically requested or initiated by customers.
It serves as a stark reminder to remain vigilant and cautious in the face of such scams, even when dealing with seemingly legitimate organizations.
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