Customs Scam You Should Know About

If you ever receive a call saying that your parcel is stuck at customs and payment needs to be released immediately, disconnect the call right away! Such calls are usually made by scammers who are involved in customs scams. In fact, PIB fact check-the government's fact-checking department had issued a warning regarding the customs scam through their social media handle.

So, if you want to steer clear of any such scam, Kotak811 is here to help. In fact, with our #ScamKaSiren fraud awareness campaign, we are here to tell you how the customs parcel scam works. Thus, you can take the necessary precautions to prevent it.

Here’s what CBIC Says:

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs issued a press release saying:

"Indian customs officers never contact the general public via phone, SMS, or e-mail for payment of duty in private accounts. Disconnect calls and never respond to messages if you suspect fraud or encounter any irregularities. Immediately report such cases to www.cybercrime.gov.in or helpline number 1930," said the CBIC in the press release.

What is a Customs Parcel Fraud and How it Works?

Scammers usually pose as courier agents of reputed courier companies or customs officials. They call the victim, claiming that a parcel in their name has been seized due to illegal contents. To establish credibility, the fraudsters provide fake employee IDs and FIR details and, sometimes, also show empathy to manipulate victims.

They also connect the call to a so-called imposter police officer. All this creates panic, and the victim often ends up providing personal details, like bank statement screenshots, PAN and Aadhaar number, etc. Thus, by creating a sense of urgency, the scammers extract money or ‘fees’ from the victim to ‘resolve’ the issue.

Analysis of Custom Scams: Key Findings

A foundation fighting cybercrime analysed the phone numbers from where the scam calls originated. They have shared the following findings:

● Authentic-looking Numbers Used

All the phone numbers analysed looked genuine, thus cleverly covering up the scam. In fact, many temporary phone numbers were used to make the scam calls. For example, if the victim is from Maharashtra, the scammer posed to be from a Maharashtra Police Station. However, the number belonged to a different place.

● Tactics Used

The most common tactic used in any customs scam is that the fraudsters target unsuspecting targets. They create tension, anxiety, and fake urgency among the victims to extract personal information and bank details.

● Undercover Interactions

Several undercover interactions were performed with the suspects, which revealed their chilling ways of conducting the scam. The scammers used psychological manipulation to threaten victims by acting as law enforcement agency officers.

Measures to Prevent Customs Parcel Fraud: Key Tips

If you want the customs parcel scam to stay at bay, ensure you follow the important and impactful tips below:

● Keep Confidential Information 'Confidential'

It is essential to keep your details confidential, especially personal identification numbers like Aadhaar and PAN. Scammers can use these details to target your bank accounts.

● Verify the Identity of the Caller

If any individual contacts you posing as a customs officer, first establish their authenticity. If anything seems suspicious, disconnect the call and connect with the relevant authorities through details on the official website.

● Report Doubtful Activity

When receiving suspicious phone calls or messages, report them immediately to the relevant authorities. It protects you against scams and makes it easy for authorities to track scammers.

● Take Your Cybersecurity Seriously

If you want to avoid fraudulent scams, use strong cybersecurity measures. It can include monitoring and blocking suspicious phone numbers and IP addresses regarding scams.

Conclusion

As fraudsters come with new custom scams, it is essential to implement proactive measures to keep the frauds at bay. If you receive any phone calls, emails, or messages from individuals posing to be customs officials, do not act in haste. Disconnect the call, block the number, and reach out to relevant authorities. Take your cybersecurity seriously and start following the preventive measures for custom scams today!

FAQs

1. How should you verify the correspondence from Indian Customs?

All communications from Indian Customs feature a unique document identification number, i.e., DIN. You can verify it on the CBIC website using the https://esanchar.cbic.gov.in/DIN/DINSearch link.

2. What are some red flags that can be used to identify customs parcel fraud?

• Contact about a parcel you were not even expecting
• Upfront request for payment via phone, usually as customs clearance or delivery charges
• Threats of legal action

3. Can customs authorities really detain your parcel?

In some cases, where duty payments are due, or inspection is required, customs officers may detain your package. However, they will never ask for payments through an unofficial process.

If  you have been scammed online, immediately contact your bank, report the scam to the authorities like the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (https://cybercrime.gov.in/)and document everything related to the scam.