Visakhapatnam: The Vizianagaram district police are urging residents to be aware of scam calls and video calls impersonating courier services.
Cybercriminals are using these tactics to extort money from victims, according to District SP Vakul Jindal. The perpetrators typically initiate contact through phone calls, falsely claiming affiliation with a courier company like FedEx or Blue Dot Couriers.
They proceed to fabricate a scenario where the victim's package supposedly contains contraband, including drugs, fake passports, or gold.
This fabricated scenario is then used to threaten the victim with legal repercussions or arrest for alleged involvement in money laundering activities.
The SP emphasised that the scammers may attempt to elicit personal information such as residential addresses, Aadhaar card numbers, and phone numbers.
He further stated that in some instances, cybercriminals may resort to video calls, utilising platforms like WhatsApp and Skype. During these calls, they may impersonate legitimate authorities, such as CBI, Customs, or Police officers, to threaten them with incarceration, ultimately coercing them into transferring funds into their accounts. The police department urges residents to exercise caution and remain vigilant against such deceptive tactics. If you have fallen victim to this scam and incurred financial losses, you are encouraged to report the incident to the National Cybercrime portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in/ or by calling the national helpline number 1930.
