Shillong: The police in Meghalaya urged citizens to be cautious of a new phone scam in the state.
The scam involves impersonation tactics, where callers pose as agents from reputed courier services like FedEx and trick victims into believing they have received packages containing illegal substances.
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The scheme unfolds with a phone call from someone claiming to represent a courier company.
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They inform the recipient about a package addressed to them, alleging it contains illegal items like drugs. This sets the stage for the next phase of the scam, where the callers switch personas and impersonate officials from legitimate law enforcement agencies like Customs, CBI, or NCB.
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With fabricated claims of money laundering linked to the victim’s identity, the scammers exert pressure to transfer large sums of money for “RBI clearance.”
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Fear and intimidation tactics are often employed, with threats of arrest used to coerce victims into submission.
In some instances, they even try to manipulate victims into downloading remote access apps like AnyDesk, which can grant them access to steal personal information.
The police with reports of the case, have issued a strong advisory, urging the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution when dealing with unsolicited calls regarding deliveries.
They advise individuals to never download apps recommended by unknown callers and to always verify information directly with the legitimate courier service if unsure about a package.
Anyone who encounters such a scam is encouraged to report it immediately to their nearest police station or the Cybercrime helpline (1930).