Stuck Fedex parcels and automated caller machines will usually go unsuspected. Considering everyone is awaiting a parcel or two at any given time, who wouldn't press 1 to find out more about why the parcel has been rejected or stuck?
Twitter user and author Samit Basu shared a personal experience of being cyberfrauded by a similar modus operando, only more sophisticated and hence, highly dangerous. "Got cyberfrauded by a truly sophisticated operation. Pride myself on being vaguely alert and intelligent. But it could really happen to anyone."
He goes onto divulge further details of the modus operandi that involves a fake courier company. "A fake courier company with a seized package registered with me as a sender, fake videocall with a fake cybercrime officer in a fake police station, then a series of fake interrogations with more fake people, four hours of threats and harassment."
The cyberfraud staged and employed at least 67 people, shares the victim, who feels it also involves, "Lots of technology, even a fake prosecutors ID. I called up the number on it later, the lawyer said he'd been subjected to the same scam with a different lawyer's ID, and all these cases and arrest clauses they were referring to were accurate."
The imposters had enough of the victim's data that they could easily go undetected even further. "I only even started getting really suspicious when money got involved." He further shares that the lawyer whose ID had been stolen was also a victim of the cyberfraud and reported it to authorities but nothing could be expected since all the numbers involved were untraceable. "So yeah. If you get an automated call saying your FedEX package has been rejected, don't press 1 to find out more. I thought it was my books coming in from abroad and stuck at customs or something, sigh."
Fake helpline numbers
From automated teller machines to even fake customer care numbers of public sector banks, the cyberfrauds lately come donned in the garb of authenticity. Only three weeks ago, several incidents of cyber crime were reported on the same day within a few hours from Panchkula in Haryana and the U.T of Chandigarh, when scammers exploited SEO to ensure the fake customer care number of State Bank of India figured on top of the search list. Once the unsuspecting victims call the fake helpline number they themselves searched on Google, it's cakewalk for the scammers.
