A 40-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru lost about ₹1 crore in two days in May 2024. It began with a Skype call from a man posing as a courier company executive, who said a parcel in her name bound for Taiwan had been caught at Mumbai airport with narcotics and several passports.

A fake customs officer said a drugs case had been filed, told her to stay alone in a room, and took her Aadhaar details. A fake police officer questioned her on camera while hiding his own face. She was told to send money to an "RBI account" for verification, with a refund promised within 30 days, and paid three large amounts the next day.

The lesson: a courier company never transfers your call to customs or the police.