Surge in Cyber Scams In Pune: Fraudsters Dupe Citizens with Threats of Bogus Legal Action Over Courier Packages

In a troubling increase of cybercrime related to airport activities, citizens are being deceitfully exploited by scams involving fictitious contraband discoveries in courier packages, fake passports, or foreign currency allegations. These fraudulent claims are often followed by threats of investigation from central authorities such as the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) or the Narcotics Control Bureau, which intimidate the victims into paying hefty fines to avoid purported legal actions.

On April 21, a private company employee from Shivajinagar received a phone call from cyber criminals. They alleged that a FedEx courier package sent from Mumbai to Thailand under his name contained five passports and narcotics. The scammers warned him of potential money laundering charges by the Mumbai Crime Branch, inducing fear. The alarmed citizen ended up transferring ₹49.37 lakh to the scammers before realizing he had been duped and reporting the incident to the Chaturshringi police station.

Senior Police Inspector Ajay Kulkarni is currently investigating the case.

In another incident, a young man from the Sinhagad Road area was lured into a fraudulent scheme with the promise of easy money for completing online tasks. Believing that liking videos and advertisements on social media would yield high returns and offer work-from-home opportunities, he deposited ₹11.21 lakh into the specified bank account. The scammers ceased all contact after the transaction.

Additionally, an elderly woman was victimized under the guise of needing to update her bank account information. The cybercriminals extracted over ₹5.15 lakh from her, threatening that her account would be closed if not updated promptly. They managed to obtain her confidential banking information and withdrew funds online.

These cases underscore a growing trend where scammers exploit the fear of legal entanglement, leveraging the seriousness of being involved in international smuggling or financial irregularities. Authorities urge citizens to remain cautious and verify any such alarming communications with the respective services directly before taking any action or making payments.