Mangaluru woman loses Rs 39 lakh in parcel fraud: Here’s how she was scammed

A woman in Mangaluru has fallen victim to a parcel scam, losing a significant sum of Rs 39 lakh. The incident highlights the increasing prevalence of online scams and the importance of being vigilant against such fraudulent activities.
As reported by The Times of India, the victim received a call on September 23rd from someone claiming to be Shreya Sharma from the DHL courier office in Mumbai.The caller informed her that a parcel addressed to her in China contained prohibited items and could not be shipped. The list of alleged contents included five passports, a laptop, illegal drugs, bank documents, and clothes.
Fearing arrest due to the supposed illegal items, the woman panicked and followed the caller's instructions. Over the next three days, she made multiple online transfers totalling Rs 37 lakh via RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) to a bank account provided by the fraudsters, supposedly to clear customs and complete the "inquiry" regarding the parcel.
On September 26th, the scammers contacted her again, claiming an auditor required an additional Rs 2.3 lakh for an asset verification process. The woman, still under the impression the situation was legitimate, transferred the requested amount via HDFC Bank.
Realizing she had been targeted after receiving no further communication and failing to reach the callers, the woman filed a complaint with the Mangaluru East Police Station on September 28th. The investigation into the case is ongoing.