Financial fraud involving fraudsters posing as custom officials on the rise

Recently, the customs department has received many complaints about where people have been duped of their money in their officers’ name. The fraudsters have been cheating the general public through social media platforms, impersonating customs officials and promising them to send parcels of various articles to India against payment in the name of customs duties.

The cheaters then order the consignees to deposit money in the bank account created by them for fraudulent purposes to extort money.

Crime on rise

The customs department in a statement said that instances have come to the notice that the general public is being cheated by unscrupulous elements. The fraudsters become friendly with the public through social media such as Facebook, matrimonial sites, messengers or through some other channel and, subsequently promising them to send parcels of various articles to India against payment in the name of customs duties.

It further said that the fraudsters impersonate customs officials by using their names and instructing the consignees (general public) to deposit money in the bank accounts created by them for fraudulent purposes to extort money. “They may also issue fictitious receipts for duty demands purportedly made by Customs,” it added.

General public warned

The Customs have warned the general public that customs officials never call and ask them to pay Customs duty to any specific individual’s account. It further informed that the Customs Duty can only be deposited in favour of the Commissioner of Customs (Government Account) through nominated banks such as Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India etc. by the Commissionerate of Delhi Customs.

“If the public gets any so-called parcel at Delhi Airport sent by unscrupulous elements, then they must confirm the veracity of the tracking number of the parcels through service sites provided by authorised couriers or postal department,” it said.

The general public is hereby notified, alerted or advised not to pay any amount in the name of customs to any person or any private account or to anyone who demands such payments claiming to be an officer of Customs on the parcels alleged to be detained by Customs at Delhi Airport or Import or Export Shed, it added.

 

Courtesy- https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/financial-fraud-involving-fraudsters-posing-custom-officials-on-rise-1903735-2022-01-24

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