Bengaluru: In a recent case of sophisticated cybercrime, a 74-year-old retired Lieutenant Colonel from Vasanth Nagar fell victim to an elaborate FedEx scam, resulting in a loss of Rs 73 lakh. The incident, reported to East CEN crime police on July 5, highlights the evolving tactics of fraudsters targeting unsuspecting individuals.


The ordeal began on June 13 when the victim, whose name has been changed to Saketh for privacy, received a call from an unknown number. The caller, claiming to be a FedEx executive, informed Saketh about a suspicious parcel in his name containing passports, drugs, and other valuables.


Confused by this information, Saketh denied sending any such package. The caller then escalated the situation, stating that a case had been registered against him with Delhi police, and that he would soon be contacted by an officer.


Shortly after, Saketh received a WhatsApp video call from a number ending in 6183. The caller, dressed in police uniform, presented himself as a senior police officer. The background of the call resembled a police station, complete with a visible lockup and other uniformed individuals moving about, lending credibility to the ruse.


Convinced by the apparent authenticity, Saketh listened as the fraudster wove a complex narrative. He was told that not only was there an illegal courier in his name using his Aadhaar details, but a bank account had also been opened using his credentials for illicit transactions. The scammer further claimed that Saketh was now implicated in a money laundering case.


To maintain control over their victim, the fraudsters employed psychological tactics. They threatened that their operatives were in Bengaluru, monitoring Saketh, and warned of immediate arrest if he failed to cooperate with their "virtual investigation". They also instructed him not to disclose the situation to anyone, including his family and local law enforcement, claiming he was under "digital arrest".


The scammers then connected Saketh to a continuous Skype call, ostensibly to keep him under surveillance. Through subsequent calls, they convinced him to transfer money from his account to various bank accounts they provided, under the guise of a Supreme Court order and investigative necessity. They assured Saketh that the funds would be returned after verification.


Between June 13 and June 26, Saketh transferred a total of Rs 73 lakh to five different accounts provided by the fraudsters. It was only when the promised return of funds didn't materialize that Saketh realized he had been victimized by an elaborate scam.


In a small silver lining, law enforcement officials investigating the case have managed to freeze Rs 30 lakh from the fraudsters' accounts.