Mumbai woman calls Blue Dart to track online order, ends up losing Rs 68,000

A woman from Mumbai became the recent victim to online fraud while trying to track her online order. Unlike the courier scam, in which victims are blackmailed by fake police officers for illegal courier being confiscated at the airport, in this case, the victim did not even have the chance to suspect the scammer and ended up losing her money in a fraction of seconds.

The victim, a doctor from Vikhroli, had reportedly placed an order online and was waiting for her parcel to be delivered. However, since the courier was late in arriving, she attempted to track her package by contacting the delivery agent, Blue Dart, as reported by Indian Express. However, as she did not have the agent's contact number, she searched for it online.

Upon finding the number on Google, she attempted to call the agent, only to be greeted by an individual instructing her to download an app to track her order. Upon complying with the given instruction and downloading the app, she discovered that Rs 68,000 had been debited from her bank account.

How she lost her money

She was just tracking her order, so what went wrong? Well, the reported case seems like a case of a phishing scam. The victim attempted to find the contact number for the delivery agency online and called the number she located. However, the individual who answered her call was not a legitimate delivery agent but rather a scammer posing as one. The number listed online was also fraudulent.

Taking advantage of the victim's trust, the scammer convinced her to download an application under the pretense of resolving the issue. This app, however, was likely designed to steal sensitive information, such as banking details. Once the victim installed the app and followed the scammer's instructions, the scammer gained access to her banking information and siphoned off Rs 68,000 from her account.

An investigating police officer revealed that this is not an isolated incident involving scammers impersonating courier companies or using their numbers to defraud unsuspecting individuals. In the past few months a number of people have lost their money after falling for scammers they contacted while searching numbers online. "It appears that these scammers have access to a database of courier companies, which they utilize to make these calls. In some instances, they have even gone to the extent of replacing the courier companies' genuine contact numbers with their own fraudulent ones," said the officer.

How to stay safe

There are many steps you can take to minimize your risk of harm and protect yourself from online scams:

• Verify Contact Information: Instead of relying on online search results, visit the official website of the courier company or service provider to obtain their contact information. Use the contact details provided on their official website or other trusted sources.
• Be Cautious of Unsolicited Calls: If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a representative of a company, especially if you did not initiate the contact, be cautious. Avoid providing personal or financial information over the phone unless you can verify the legitimacy of the call.
• Use Official Apps: When tracking orders or interacting with service providers, use official apps provided by the company. Avoid downloading apps from unfamiliar sources, as they may contain malware or be part of a phishing attempt.
• Two-Factor Authentication: Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible, especially for banking and sensitive accounts. This adds an extra layer of security, requiring additional verification beyond just passwords.
• Educate Yourself: Stay informed about common scams and phishing techniques. Be skeptical of unexpected emails, messages, or calls that ask for personal information or instruct you to download suspicious apps.