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Scam explainer

Courier, parcel and customs scam also called FedEx scam, Parcel seized call, Customs duty scam, Press 1 IVR call

A call or IVR message says a parcel in your name was seized with drugs or fake passports, or asks for a small customs fee. It often opens a digital arrest scam.

Published
Conceptual illustration: An unbranded sealed courier parcel, an anonymous calling phone and a glass warning triangle. Headline: PARCEL ALERT OR SCAM?.

AI-generated illustration by CyberShitty. Not a photograph or a document from the organisations named.

How it works

  1. A recorded message or caller says a parcel sent by or to you has been held by customs or a courier company, and asks you to press a key.
  2. An 'executive' says the parcel contains drugs, fake passports or other contraband and connects you to 'police' or 'narcotics' officers.
  3. The call escalates into threats of arrest and demands for money to settle the case, often turning into a digital arrest.
  4. A smaller version sends a link asking for a customs, redelivery or address-update fee, which steals card or UPI details.

Composite example, not a real case

The parcel Anil never sent

  1. Anil, 45, a shop owner in Indore, gets a recorded call saying a parcel in his name has been held by customs. It tells him to press 1 to speak to an executive.
  2. The 'executive' says the parcel is addressed from Anil and holds fake passports and drugs. He offers to connect Anil to the narcotics police 'to clear his name'.
  3. A man in uniform comes on a video call, shows an official-looking notice and says Anil is under investigation. He must stay on camera and tell no one.
  4. Hours later, the 'officer' says the case can be closed if Anil moves money to a 'verification account' that will be refunded after checks.
  5. Anil's daughter walks in and ends the call. They check their local police station's number themselves, learn there is no case, and report the numbers on Chakshu.

Who gets targeted

Anyone with a mobile number can get these calls, because they start with a recorded message sent out widely. TRAI says senior citizens need to stay especially alert to calls from people pretending to be officials.

Red flags

  • A parcel you know nothing about is said to contain illegal items.
  • An IVR asks you to press a number to speak to courier or customs staff.
  • The call is quickly handed to 'police', 'CBI' or 'NCB' officers.
  • A link asking for a small fee to release or redeliver a package.

What to do

  • Hang up and check any shipment only on the courier's official website or app using your own tracking number.
  • Do not transfer money or share Aadhaar, bank or card details on such calls.
  • If you paid or shared details, call 1930 and your bank, and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in.
  • Report the number through Chakshu on Sanchar Saathi.

How to protect yourself

  • Track parcels only on the courier's official website or app, using a tracking number you already have. Never use a number or link from the call or message.
  • Do not press any key on a recorded call about a parcel. Just hang up.
  • Remember that no government agency investigates or arrests anyone over a phone or video call. If someone in uniform asks you to stay on camera, end the call.
  • Never pay a 'customs', 'redelivery' or 'address update' fee through a link in an SMS or WhatsApp message.
  • Do not trust the number on your screen. The government says scammers have used international calls made to look like Indian mobile numbers.
  • Talk to older relatives about this script before they get the call, so they know to hang up and tell someone.

Official tools, explained

Step-by-step guideDigital arrest scam: how to recognise the call, what to do on it, and what to do if you paid

The numbers

Parcel calls are mostly counted under digital arrest rather than as a separate category. The government said in December 2024 that international spoofed calls used in FedEx and digital arrest scams were being blocked by telecom operators (PIB).

Questions people ask

I got a call saying a parcel in my name has drugs. What should I do?

Hang up. Do not press any key, share details or join a video call. If you want to be sure, check with your local police station using a number you look up yourself, and report the calling number on Chakshu.

Is a customs officer allowed to ask for payment on WhatsApp?

Treat any demand for customs duty, a fine or a 'settlement' over a call, WhatsApp or video as a scam. The government has said no agency investigates people over phone or video calls, and TRAI says no regulator collects payments that way.

Can the police arrest me over a video call?

No. There is no such thing as a digital arrest. The Prime Minister and TRAI have both said government agencies do not investigate people over phone or video calls.

I paid a small redelivery fee through a link. What now?

Call your bank at once to block your card and UPI, and report the payment as fraud in writing. Then call 1930 and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in, keeping the transaction ID and a screenshot of the message.

The caller's number looked Indian. Does that mean the call was genuine?

No. The government says criminals have used international calls spoofed to show Indian mobile numbers, and has told telecom operators to block them. The number on your screen proves nothing.

Desk coverage

Sources

The example on this page is a composite built from how this scam is reported to work. It does not describe a real person.

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