In a shocking incident that highlights the growing sophistication of cyber criminals, a 35-year-old woman from Mangaluru lost a staggering Rs 13.38 lakh to online fraudsters who cleverly impersonated FedEx employees and Mumbai Police officials. The elaborate scam, which unfolded over several hours on June 8, 2024, demonstrates how vulnerable even educated individuals can be to carefully orchestrated digital deception.
The Elaborate Scam Unfolds
The victim, identified as Shilpa Shetty, resident of Kottara in Mangaluru, received an unexpected call that would trigger a financial nightmare. The caller, posing as a FedEx employee, dropped a bombshell allegation - a parcel shipped under her name to Taiwan had been intercepted containing illegal substances including passports, clothes, and 200 grams of MDMA drugs.
Before Shetty could process this alarming information, the call was seamlessly transferred to someone claiming to be Senior Police Inspector Suresh Pujari from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. This smooth transition between fake identities added layers of authenticity to the scam, making the victim believe she was genuinely dealing with law enforcement authorities.
How The Fraudsters Operated
The impersonator of Inspector Pujari employed sophisticated psychological tactics to manipulate the victim. He instructed Shetty to download the AnyDesk application on her mobile phone, claiming this was necessary for the investigation process. Unaware of the danger, she complied with the instructions.
Through the remote access granted by AnyDesk, the fraudsters gained complete control over her device and could monitor her every move. They then directed her to transfer money from her bank accounts to what they described as an "escrow account" for verification purposes. The criminals assured her this was a temporary measure and the funds would be returned after completing their investigation.
Trusting the authority figures she believed were genuine police officials, Shetty transferred substantial amounts totaling Rs 13,38,500 from her bank accounts to multiple accounts provided by the fraudsters. The transactions occurred through various digital payment platforms, making immediate tracing difficult.
Aftermath and Police Response
Only after completing the transactions did Shetty realize she had been victimized by an elaborate cyber fraud. The promised refund never materialized, and the contact numbers she had been using became unreachable.
Shetty promptly approached the Mangaluru Cyber Crime Police Station and filed an official complaint detailing the entire incident. Law enforcement authorities have registered a case and initiated investigations into what appears to be an organized cyber crime operation targeting individuals across different regions.
Police officials familiar with the case noted that this scam follows a pattern seen in other recent cyber crimes where criminals exploit the credibility of established organizations and law enforcement agencies to manipulate victims. The use of remote access applications like AnyDesk has become a common tactic among cyber criminals to bypass security measures.
Protecting Yourself From Similar Frauds
This incident serves as a crucial reminder for all digital payment users to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited calls regarding legal matters or financial transactions. Cyber security experts recommend several protective measures:
Never share personal or financial information with unknown callers, regardless of how legitimate they may seem. Genuine law enforcement agencies never demand money transfers for investigation purposes.
Avoid downloading remote access applications like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or similar software when instructed by unverified callers. These applications can give criminals complete control over your device.
Verify independently by contacting the organization or police station directly using official contact details from their website, not numbers provided by the caller.
Enable two-factor authentication on all financial accounts and regularly monitor bank statements for suspicious activity.
The Mangaluru Cyber Crime Police have urged citizens to report similar incidents immediately to their helpline numbers to prevent further financial losses and help track down the organized gangs behind these sophisticated operations.
