“First Arrests in India’s ‘FedEx’ Courier Scam Reveal Elaborate Network with Foreign Connections: Rs 8.5 Crore Stolen Funds Traced to Hong Kong IP Addresses”

Accident – Death – Obituary News : In a major breakthrough, the Bengaluru police have made the first arrests in India related to the infamous ‘FedEx’ courier scam. The arrests have uncovered a complex network with foreign connections involved in the scam. The investigation began after a complaint was filed by a man named Nataraj Rao, who was contacted by someone claiming to be a FedEx employee. The caller informed Rao that illegal items, including drugs, had been found in a parcel being sent in his wife’s name. Rao was then contacted by a person claiming to be a deputy commissioner of police, who asked him to transfer his funds to designated accounts for verification. Rao transferred a total of Rs 1.08 crore before realizing he had been cheated.

The police were able to trace part of the stolen money to an account in Davangere, Karnataka, and subsequently arrested eight people – four from Bengaluru and four from Davangere. The arrests led to the discovery of an elaborate network operating dozens of bank accounts in Karnataka, which were created using the credentials of innocent people to receive funds from the courier scam. The gang was found to be using 148 bank accounts and 11 mobile phones for their activities.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Wasim N, Habeebullah M, Nizamuddin, Mushraff Khan, Nurullah Khan, Mohammed Umar, Syed Ahmed Moula, and Syed Hussain. Among them are the owners of a medical store in Davangere and small businessmen from Bengaluru. The police have seized Rs 13.17 lakh in cash and frozen Rs 19 lakh in various accounts linked to the arrested individuals.

The investigation has revealed that the accused were recruited through an online Telegram group to create bank accounts for receiving stolen funds. They were also responsible for withdrawing the funds from the accounts and converting them into cryptocurrency for payments in Dubai. The bank account operators were paid commissions on the amounts of stolen money they helped launder. The police found USDT cryptocurrency worth Rs 4,500 in the possession of the arrested individuals.

The investigation has also uncovered the extent of the scam, with nearly Rs 8.5 crore of stolen funds laundered through the accounts operated by the Bengaluru and Davangere-based suspects. The police have traced the IP addresses used to make the VoIP calls to Hong Kong and Cambodia, indicating foreign connections in the scam.

Despite the arrests, the fake courier scam continues to be a problem in Bengaluru, with over 250 cases filed this year alone. Victims are often harassed by the scammers, who masquerade as law enforcement officials and demand more payments even after police cases have been registered.

The recent arrests have provided valuable leads and connections to 75 cases logged on the National Cyber Crime Portal, as well as two cybercrime cases registered with the North CEN police. However, the police believe that the arrests in Bengaluru are just a small fraction of the individuals involved in the scam, suggesting that the main operatives may be operating from bases in East Asia.

In conclusion, the arrests in the ‘FedEx’ courier scam have shed light on an elaborate network with foreign connections. The investigation has revealed the recruitment process, the involvement of cryptocurrency, and the extent of the scam. While the recent arrests are a step towards dismantling the scam, it is clear that more needs to be done to put an end to fake courier scams in Bengaluru..