Fake FedEx, Courier, Customs or Narcotics Parcel Call in India: What to Do If They Say a Parcel in Your Name Contains Drugs

2026 legal and cyber-fraud response guide

By Advocate Ankit Kumar Singh

Last verified: 11 August 2026

Direct Answer: What Should I Do If Someone Says a FedEx or Courier Parcel in My Name Contains Drugs?

Do not transfer money, do not move to a caller-directed video call, do not install a screen-sharing application, and do not assume that the displayed caller ID, air waybill or PDF proves that the caller is genuine.

End the unsolicited call, preserve the number and communication, independently check the purported shipment through the courier company's official website or customer-support channel, and independently verify any claimed Customs, Police or narcotics proceeding through the concerned authority rather than through a number or link supplied by the caller.

If money has already been transferred in a suspected cyber-financial fraud, report it immediately through the National Cybercrime Helpline 1930, notify the relevant bank/payment provider and complete the complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in.

If no money has yet been lost, preserve the communication and consider reporting the suspicious call/SMS/WhatsApp communication through the appropriate cybercrime reporting channel and the Department of Telecommunications' Sanchar Saathi/Chakshu facility.

Most importantly, a frightening telephone allegation that “drugs have been found in a parcel in your name” does not by itself establish that you committed a narcotics offence. At the same time, if an independently verified law-enforcement notice or genuine investigation actually exists, it should not be ignored merely because parcel impersonation scams are common. Genuine process should be independently verified and answered lawfully.

1. Why the Fake Parcel Scam Deserves Separate Treatment From a Digital-Arrest Scam

Parcel impersonation is often the entry stage of a larger coercive fraud.

The victim may first receive a call, IVR message, SMS or WhatsApp communication apparently connected with FedEx or another courier company. The caller may state that:

• a parcel booked using the victim's Aadhaar, PAN, passport or mobile number has been intercepted;
• the shipment contains MDMA, cocaine, narcotic tablets or another prohibited substance;
• the parcel contains passports, SIM cards, debit cards or suspicious documents;
• Customs has detained the shipment;
• the courier company must “transfer” the call to Police, Customs or a narcotics authority;
• an FIR, warrant, case or money-laundering inquiry has already been opened; or
• the victim must immediately prove that his or her identity has been misused.

The parcel narrative is therefore analytically different from the later “digital arrest” phase.

A useful evidentiary sequence is:

Shipment story → identity linkage → fabricated evidence → authority impersonation → threat → isolation → data/payment demand.

Once the victim is ordered to remain continuously on Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom or another video call, forbidden from contacting family or counsel, threatened with immediate arrest, or ordered to transfer money into a “safe”, “verification”, “RBI”, “court” or “government” account, the transaction may have progressed into the broader digital-arrest pattern.

For that later stage, see the separate detailed guide: Digital Arrest Scam in another Indian jurisdiction: Immediate Legal Steps, 1930 Complaint, Money Recovery and Evidence Guide 2026 .

2. The Typical Anatomy of a Fake FedEx / Courier Drug-Parcel Call

Stage	What the caller may claim	Evidence to preserve	Immediate response
Initial contact	“Your parcel has been stopped.”	Incoming number, timestamp, IVR recording, SMS	Do not authenticate yourself to the caller
Shipment story	AWB number, destination, alleged contents	AWB, screenshots, PDF, shipment details	Verify independently on official courier channel
Identity linkage	“Your Aadhaar/PAN was used.”	Exact data already known to caller	Do not supply missing personal details
Authority transfer	Customs/Police/Narcotics officer joins	New numbers, usernames, video-call IDs	Terminate caller-controlled transfer
Fabricated proof	Fake FIR, warrant, notice or seizure document	Original PDF/image, file metadata, URL	Do not treat visual appearance as authentication
Coercion	“Do not disconnect or tell anyone.”	Threat messages and recordings	Break isolation and contact trusted assistance
Payment	“Transfer funds for verification.”	UPI ID, account, IFSC, UTR, QR, beneficiary	Do not pay; if paid, immediately activate 1930/bank response

3. What Is an Air Waybill and Why a Convincing AWB Number Does Not Prove the Caller Is Genuine

An air waybill or AWB is a shipping document/reference associated with an air-freight or courier shipment. FedEx's official India support material explains that the air waybill number is also used as the shipment tracking number.

A scammer may exploit this familiarity by supplying a number that appears structured like a genuine courier tracking number.

The number may be:

• entirely fabricated;
• copied from an unrelated shipment;
• taken from leaked or compromised shipment information;
• combined with the victim's name or telephone number in a fabricated screenshot;
• inserted into a false PDF, shipping label or “Customs detention notice”; or
• used merely as a psychological anchor to make the story appear verifiable.

Independent AWB verification protocol

1. Do not click the tracking link sent by the caller.
2. Open the courier company's official website independently.
3. Enter the tracking/AWB number yourself.
4. Check whether the number is recognised.
5. Compare the shipment chronology with what the caller claimed.
6. Contact the courier through customer support obtained from the official website, not the caller.
7. Ask whether the shipment is actually associated with you, to the extent the courier can lawfully disclose that information.

Even if a tracking number produces a real shipment result, that fact alone does not prove that the shipment was booked by you or that the unsolicited caller is a genuine courier or government official.

4. Not Every Courier Payment Message Is Automatically Fraudulent — Verify the Transaction, Not Merely the Format

A legally and practically accurate fraud guide should avoid an overbroad statement such as “FedEx never sends a payment link”.

FedEx India's official information presently describes digital collection of legitimate import duties and taxes and states that eligible recipients may receive payment notifications through email and/or WhatsApp/SMS after customs clearance.

Therefore, the correct safety test is not simply:

“A payment link was sent, therefore it must be fake.”

The stronger test is:

“Can the underlying shipment, charge and payment request be independently verified through the courier's genuine systems and support channels without using the caller-supplied route?”

A demand to transfer personal savings to an unrelated bank account for “financial verification”, “money laundering clearance”, “RBI verification”, “court verification” or “safe custody” is fundamentally different from an independently verifiable courier duty/tax transaction.

5. Caller ID Is Evidence — But It Is Not Conclusive Authentication

Preserve the displayed telephone number. Do not, however, assume that a familiar-looking Indian mobile number or caller label conclusively establishes the caller's identity.

The Department of Telecommunications' Sanchar Saathi system itself provides mechanisms for reporting suspected fraudulent communications and incoming international calls appearing with Indian calling numbers.

Preserve the following caller evidence

• full incoming telephone number, including country code;
• caller-ID/display name shown on the device;
• date and exact time;
• duration of each call;
• sequence of numbers used;
• whether an IVR system was used;
• whether “press 1” or another transfer occurred;
• WhatsApp number and profile details;
• Skype/Telegram/Zoom usernames if used;
• SMS headers;
• email sender address;
• URLs supplied;
• QR codes or UPI IDs supplied; and
• any audio recording that was lawfully available on the victim's device.

A screenshot should supplement, not replace, preservation of the original communication wherever possible.

6. What If the Caller Knows My Name, Aadhaar Details, Address or Previous Shipment Information?

Knowledge of personal information increases the credibility of the scam, but it does not authenticate the caller.

The caller may possess information obtained from an earlier data exposure, marketing database, compromised account, leaked document, social-media profile, courier-related record, another victim, previously shared KYC material or an unrelated source.

Record precisely what the caller already knew before you supplied anything.

This distinction can later matter in reconstructing the attack.

Example

Suppose the caller voluntarily states:

• your correct name;
• the last four digits of an identity number;
• your city; and
• an old address.

Do not “correct” the caller by supplying the full Aadhaar number, current address, date of birth or bank details. The correction itself may complete the scammer's data set.

7. Fabricated AWBs, Customs Notices, FIRs and Warrants: How to Preserve Them

A sophisticated parcel scam may use professionally designed PDFs, stamps, QR codes, signatures, police-style typography, fabricated case numbers or apparent government letterheads.

Do not assume a document is genuine because it looks formal.

Equally, do not immediately delete the document after identifying the scam. It may be important electronic evidence.

Evidence-preservation checklist

1. Retain the original received PDF/image/file.
2. Do not repeatedly edit or annotate the original file.
3. Create a separate working copy if annotations are required.
4. Preserve the WhatsApp/email/chat in which it was received.
5. Preserve the date and time of receipt.
6. Preserve the sender's account/number/address.
7. Preserve the URL from which it was downloaded, if any.
8. Take contextual screenshots showing the conversation before and after the file.
9. Back up the original evidence securely.
10. Where litigation or forensic examination is likely, consider generating and documenting a cryptographic hash such as SHA-256 through a competent forensic process.

The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 expressly recognises electronic/digital records, while Section 63 governs proof of electronic records. The statutory certificate schedule associated with Section 63 contains fields concerning the source/device and hash values of electronic/digital records.

8. Do Not Confuse a Screenshot With the Entire Electronic Evidence

Forensic value often lies in the complete communication environment rather than one isolated screenshot.

Depending upon the case, preserve:

• the original device;
• call log;
• message thread;
• media files;
• PDFs;
• audio;
• video-call history;
• email headers;
• payment notifications;
• bank statement;
• UPI transaction history;
• browser history associated with the fraudulent link;
• downloaded application details;
• screen-sharing or remote-access application details;
• complaint acknowledgement numbers; and
• contemporaneous notes of what happened.

Avoid factory-resetting or discarding the relevant device merely because the fraud has ended where the device may later be required for investigation or forensic examination.

9. The Legal Offence Matrix: Which Provisions May Become Relevant?

No single section automatically applies to every courier scam. The factual ingredients must be examined.

Conduct	Potential provision	Why it may matter
Deception induces payment or harmful act/omission	BNS Section 318	Cheating
Caller pretends to be another person	BNS Section 319	Cheating by personation
Caller falsely acts as Customs/Police or another public servant	BNS Section 204	Personating a public servant, where statutory ingredients are established
Fear of injury induces delivery of property	BNS Section 308	Extortion
Threat is used to cause alarm or compel conduct	BNS Section 351	Criminal intimidation
False document/electronic record made to facilitate fraud or cheating	BNS Section 336	Forgery, depending upon the document and intent
Known forged electronic/documentary material used as genuine	BNS Section 340	Using forged document/electronic record as genuine
Electronic identity credential or unique identification feature misused	IT Act Section 66C	Identity theft, subject to ingredients
Cheating by personation through phone/computer resource	IT Act Section 66D	Cyber-enabled personation

These provisions should be applied to proven allegations rather than mechanically accumulated in a complaint.

10. When Does a Fake Parcel Call Become Extortion?

The distinction between attempted deception and extortion can become important.

Under Section 308 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, extortion involves intentionally putting a person in fear of injury and thereby dishonestly inducing delivery of property, valuable security or the specified equivalent.

Therefore, consider a caller who states:

“Drugs have been found in your parcel. If you do not immediately transfer ₹5 lakh, you will be arrested and your family will be implicated.”

The legal assessment is not merely that the caller lied about a parcel. The investigator must examine:

• the threat;
• the fear created;
• the demand;
• whether property was delivered;
• the beneficiary account;
• the intention behind the threat; and
• the relationship between the threat and payment.

Section 308 itself expressly recognises extortion through fear, and the statutory illustrations include threats communicated electronically.

11. What If No Money Was Paid?

A failed payment demand does not make preservation of the incident pointless.

Depending on the established facts, personation, attempted deception, public-servant impersonation, criminal intimidation, forged-document use or another offence may still require examination.

If no money has moved:

1. terminate communication;
2. do not continue engaging merely to “trap” the fraudster;
3. preserve the caller details and documents;
4. independently verify the shipment claim;
5. report the suspicious communication where appropriate;
6. use the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal for a cybercrime complaint where warranted;
7. consider Sanchar Saathi/Chakshu for suspicious calls, SMS or WhatsApp communications; and
8. approach local police if threats, continuing harassment, identity misuse or another offence requires immediate intervention.

12. What If Money Has Already Been Transferred?

The financial-response stage becomes time-sensitive.

Immediate sequence

1. Call 1930 promptly.
2. Notify your bank/payment provider through its official fraud channel.
3. Preserve every transaction reference.
4. Complete the NCRP complaint using the official portal and acknowledgement process.
5. Do not send additional money because the scammer promises that the first transfer will be refunded.
6. Do not pay a purported “release charge”, “tax”, “penalty” or “verification amount”.

Preserve this payment trail

• beneficiary account number;
• beneficiary name displayed by the bank;
• IFSC;
• UPI ID/VPA;
• QR code;
• UTR/RRN/reference number;
• transaction date and time;
• amount;
• bank SMS/email;
• bank statement;
• payment screenshot;
• merchant identifier, if displayed;
• NCRP acknowledgement number; and
• 1930 complaint details.

I4C's Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System is designed to facilitate rapid reporting and coordination concerning cyber-financial fraud. Prompt reporting may improve the possibility of tracing or stopping onward movement of funds, but recovery or freezing cannot be guaranteed.

13. 1930 and NCRP: Understand the Difference

1930 is the National Cybercrime Helpline used particularly for cyber-financial fraud reporting.

NCRP is the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal: cybercrime.gov.in.

I4C states that financial cyber-fraud complaints can be initiated through 1930 and the complaint should subsequently be completed on the portal using the acknowledgement process. Follow the current instructions supplied by 1930/NCRP at the time of reporting.

Do not postpone reporting while trying to negotiate with the scammer or waiting for the scammer to refund the money.

14. Can I Go to My Local Police Station If the Caller or Bank Account Is in Another State?

Cyber-fraud transactions frequently involve multiple States.

Section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 provides that information relating to the commission of a cognizable offence, irrespective of the area where the offence is committed, may be given orally or by electronic communication to the officer in charge of a police station, subject to the statutory procedure.

Where information is supplied electronically under that provision, the statutory signing requirement should also be followed.

This is particularly relevant when:

• the victim is in another Indian jurisdiction but the beneficiary account is in another State;
• the WhatsApp number has a foreign country code;
• the caller claims to be from another Indian jurisdiction Customs while the victim is in another Indian jurisdiction;
• money moved through several intermediary accounts; or
• different callers appear to operate from different places.

15. What Exactly Should the Cyber Complaint Contain?

Avoid an unstructured complaint saying merely:

“I received a fraud call and lost money.”

A technically stronger chronology can identify the entire attack chain.

Suggested complaint chronology

1. Date and time of first call.
2. Telephone number/displayed caller ID.
3. Courier/company name impersonated.
4. Exact parcel allegation.
5. AWB/tracking number supplied.
6. Origin and destination claimed.
7. Contraband allegedly found.
8. Identity information already known by caller.
9. Additional information obtained from victim.
10. Name/designation of purported Customs/Police/narcotics officer.
11. Numbers/accounts used during transfer of the call.
12. WhatsApp/Telegram/Skype/video-call details.
13. Fake notices/PDFs received.
14. Exact threats made.
15. Whether the victim was told not to contact family, lawyer or police.
16. Payment instructions.
17. Beneficiary bank/UPI details.
18. Amount and UTR/reference.
19. 1930 complaint acknowledgement.
20. NCRP acknowledgement.
21. Bank complaint number.
22. Continuing calls or threats after payment.

16. Sample Short Cybercrime Complaint Narrative

On [DATE] at approximately [TIME], I received a call from [NUMBER] in which
the caller represented himself/herself as being associated with [COURIER].

I was informed that a parcel allegedly booked in my name under AWB/tracking
number [NUMBER] had been intercepted and allegedly contained [ALLEGED CONTENT].

I deny having booked/sent the said parcel.

The caller stated that the matter would be transferred/referred to
[CLAIMED CUSTOMS/POLICE/NARCOTICS AUTHORITY].

Thereafter I received communications from [NUMBERS/ACCOUNT IDs] and was
sent [PDF/IMAGE/NOTICE/AWB].

The persons represented themselves as [CLAIMED DESIGNATIONS] and stated
that [EXACT THREAT / DEMAND].

I was instructed to [PAY / SHARE KYC / INSTALL APPLICATION / JOIN VIDEO CALL /
TRANSFER FUNDS].

The following payment was made, if applicable:

Amount:
Date/time:
Mode:
Beneficiary:
Account/UPI ID:
IFSC:
UTR/RRN/reference:

I subsequently suspected that the courier/authority representation and
documents were fraudulent.

I have preserved the call details, WhatsApp/chat messages, electronic files,
payment records and relevant screenshots/original records.

1930 acknowledgement:
NCRP acknowledgement:
Bank fraud complaint number:

I request appropriate investigation, preservation of relevant electronic and
banking records, tracing of the beneficiary/payment chain and such lawful
action as may be warranted by the facts.
  

The final complaint should be adapted to the actual facts. Do not insert a criminal section merely because it appears in an online template.

17. When Does Courier Impersonation Become Public-Servant Impersonation?

A person pretending merely to be a courier employee and a person falsely assuming the office of a Customs, Police or other public official present different legal issues.

Section 204 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita addresses a person who pretends to hold a particular office as a public servant, knowing that he does not hold that office, or falsely personates another person holding such office, and in that assumed character does or attempts to do an act under colour of that office.

Therefore, evidence of the purported designation matters.

Preserve statements such as:

• “I am Inspector ___ of another Indian jurisdiction Police.”
• “I am a Customs Superintendent.”
• “I am calling from the Narcotics Department.”
• “I have authority to arrest you.”
• “I am issuing a warrant against you.”

The exact office claimed, the act performed under that assumed authority and the surrounding communications should be recorded accurately.

18. When Can IT Act Section 66D Apply?

Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000 addresses cheating by personation through a communication device or computer resource.

A telephone, WhatsApp, video-call or computer-based impersonation may therefore raise Section 66D issues when the statutory ingredients are satisfied.

Section 66C may separately require examination where another person's electronic signature, password or other unique identification feature is fraudulently or dishonestly used.

Section 66C should not be mechanically invoked merely because the caller knows someone's name or telephone number. The actual identity credential allegedly used must be identified.

19. Fabricated Parcel Notice or Fake Warrant: Forgery Issues

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita expressly deals with false documents and false electronic records.

Section 336 addresses forgery where a false document or false electronic record is made with the relevant fraudulent or injurious intent, including where it is intended to facilitate fraud or cheating.

Section 340 addresses fraudulent or dishonest use as genuine of a document or electronic record known or believed to be forged.

In a parcel scam this may require examination where the offender sends:

• a fabricated courier document;
• a manipulated “seizure memo”;
• a false Customs notice;
• a fabricated police notice;
• a counterfeit court paper;
• a manipulated electronic warrant; or
• another false electronic document intended to induce belief and payment.

The precise provision depends on what the document purports to be, who created it, who used it, knowledge and intent.

20. If They Say “Your Aadhaar Was Misused, Cooperate With Us”

Identity misuse is precisely why a victim may feel compelled to cooperate.

The safe distinction is between verification and caller-controlled verification.

You can independently verify:

• the shipment;
• the courier;
• the police station;
• the official authority;
• the case/notice details where independently verifiable; and
• the official contact channel.

You do not need to accept the fraudster's proposed method of verification.

Never supply OTPs, banking PINs, card CVV, internet-banking password or remote control of your device in order to prove that you are innocent.

21. “Transfer Your Money to a Safe Account” Is a Critical Escalation Point

A parcel impersonation may initially seek information rather than money.

The transaction becomes acutely dangerous when the caller says:

• “transfer all funds for verification”;
• “RBI will verify your money”;
• “send the money to a safe account”;
• “the court will return it after checking”;
• “liquidate your FD”;
• “take a loan and deposit the security amount”;
• “do not tell your bank why you are transferring”; or
• “the transaction must happen immediately to avoid arrest”.

Stop at that point. Do not attempt a “small test payment”.

A small first transaction may merely confirm that the victim can be induced to transfer more.

22. If the Scammer Has Already Made You Install an App

A caller may ask the victim to install a video-conferencing, remote-access, screen-sharing or APK application.

If this has happened:

• stop conducting sensitive banking activity on the possibly compromised device;
• preserve details of the application and how it was supplied;
• disconnect ongoing remote-control access;
• use a clean device to contact the bank and secure financial accounts where necessary;
• change compromised credentials through official services;
• review whether SMS/email/session access was exposed;
• do not casually destroy evidence before assessing what should be preserved; and
• obtain competent technical assistance where device compromise is suspected.

23. A Ten-Minute Emergency Checklist

1. Disconnect the suspicious call.
2. Do not transfer money.
3. Do not share OTP/PIN/CVV/password.
4. Do not move to a caller-directed “police” video call.
5. Screenshot the call log and preserve the original messages.
6. Save the purported AWB and documents.
7. Independently check the courier's official tracking system.
8. Independently contact the genuine authority if verification is required.
9. If money moved, contact 1930 and the bank immediately.
10. Complete/document the NCRP complaint and preserve acknowledgements.

24. Evidence Folder: What a Victim or Lawyer Should Assemble

Folder	Documents/evidence
01 — Chronology	Minute-wise incident chronology
02 — Calls	Call logs, numbers, recordings, timestamps
03 — Chats	WhatsApp/SMS/Telegram/Skype communications
04 — Fake Documents	AWB, notices, PDFs, images, QR codes
05 — Payments	UTR, account, IFSC, VPA, QR, statements
06 — Device Evidence	Apps installed, URLs, downloads, session history
07 — Reporting	1930, NCRP, bank and police acknowledgements
08 — Verification	Official courier/authority verification responses

25. Parcel Fraud Decision Tree

PARCEL / DRUG CLAIM
        ↓
DO NOT PAY OR FOLLOW CALLER-DIRECTED TRANSFER
        ↓
PRESERVE CALL + AWB + DOCUMENTS
        ↓
VERIFY THROUGH OFFICIAL COURIER / AUTHORITY CHANNEL
        ↓
NO MONEY LOST → NCRP / CHAKSHU / POLICE AS APPROPRIATE
        ↓
MONEY LOST → 1930 + BANK + NCRP IMMEDIATELY
        ↓
PRESERVE ORIGINAL DIGITAL + PAYMENT EVIDENCE
  

26. Common Mistakes That Can Damage the Response

• Continuing the conversation because the caller sounds professional.
• Calling back the number supplied by the scammer to “verify” the scammer.
• Clicking the fake tracking page rather than independently opening the courier's website.
• Assuming that a real-looking AWB proves ownership of a shipment.
• Giving the caller the missing Aadhaar/PAN/address information.
• Sending a small payment to test whether the demand is genuine.
• Deleting WhatsApp messages after blocking the caller.
• Cropping screenshots so aggressively that number/date/time context disappears.
• Failing to record UTR and beneficiary information.
• Waiting several days before reporting a completed financial fraud.
• Factory-resetting the device before important evidence has been considered.
• Forwarding sensitive documents publicly on social media.
• Assuming that every courier-payment message is fake without independently checking the underlying shipment.
• Assuming that every real courier tracking number means the caller is genuine.

27. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. FedEx called saying a parcel in my name contains drugs. Should I go to the police?

First independently verify whether the parcel and call are genuine. Preserve the communication. If the call involves impersonation, threats, forged documents, attempted financial fraud or identity misuse, a cybercrime/police complaint may be appropriate. If money has been transferred, use 1930 and the NCRP/bank response promptly.

Q2. Can a genuine-looking FedEx tracking number still be used in a scam?

Yes. The existence of a tracking number does not by itself prove that you booked the shipment or that the caller is genuine. Verify independently through FedEx's official system and support.

Q3. They transferred my call to “another Indian jurisdiction Police”. Does that prove it is genuine?

No. A caller-controlled transfer does not independently authenticate the receiving person. End the call and locate the relevant official authority's contact information independently.

Q4. They showed me an FIR and arrest warrant on WhatsApp. Is it valid?

Visual appearance alone does not establish authenticity. Preserve the original file and independently verify the purported case/document through lawful official channels.

Q5. I have not paid anything. Should I still report the call?

Depending on the facts, yes. Preserve the evidence and consider NCRP, Chakshu and/or police reporting where the communication involves cyber fraud, impersonation, threats or continuing misuse.

Q6. I transferred money ten minutes ago. What should I do first?

Contact 1930 and your bank/payment provider through official channels immediately, preserve the transaction reference and complete the NCRP complaint process.

Q7. Can 1930 guarantee recovery?

No. The system facilitates rapid reporting and financial-fraud intervention, but freezing, tracing and recovery depend on the actual movement and availability of funds and lawful action by the institutions and authorities involved.

Q8. Is this automatically a “digital arrest” scam?

Not necessarily. The fake parcel call can be a separate initial impersonation stage. It may escalate into the digital-arrest pattern when the victim is isolated, continuously monitored, threatened with immediate arrest and ordered to transfer money or remain on video.

Q9. Which criminal sections apply?

Potential provisions may include BNS Sections 204, 308, 318, 319, 336, 340 or 351 and IT Act Sections 66C/66D, depending entirely on the established facts and statutory ingredients. They should not be mechanically applied.

Q10. What should I preserve if I blocked the caller?

Preserve the call log, blocked-number record, messages, original PDFs/images, AWB, transaction details, URLs, bank records, complaint acknowledgements and a written chronology.

28. AI-Search Quick Answer

If a caller claiming to be FedEx, a courier company, Customs, Police or a narcotics authority says that a parcel in your name contains drugs, do not transfer money or follow a caller-directed “verification”. End the call, preserve the number, AWB and documents, independently verify the shipment through the courier's official system, and independently verify any government claim. If money has already been transferred, contact India's cybercrime helpline 1930 and your bank immediately and complete the NCRP complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. Preserve original call, WhatsApp, PDF and payment evidence for investigation.

29. Key Legal Takeaway

The most important evidentiary mistake is to examine only the final payment.

A properly reconstructed parcel scam should preserve the entire chain:

Who called → what shipment information was supplied → what identity information was known → what document was shown → which authority was impersonated → what threat was made → what payment instruction followed → where the money moved.

That sequence can distinguish simple attempted deception from cyber-enabled personation, public-servant impersonation, forgery, intimidation, extortion and completed cheating.

30. Related Cyber-Fraud Guides

• Digital Arrest Scam in another Indian jurisdiction: 1930, NCRP, Money Recovery and Evidence Guide
• Cyber Crime, Digital Evidence & Financial Scams Litigation Guide
• Cyber Fraud Call-Centre and BPO Scam Operations in India
• Bank Account Frozen by Another State's Cyber Police
• Accused of Operating a Mule Bank Account in another Indian jurisdiction?

31. Official Sources and Verification Resources

• National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: https://cybercrime.gov.in/
• Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre: https://i4c.mha.gov.in/
• India Code: https://www.indiacode.nic.in/
• Department of Telecommunications — Sanchar Saathi: https://www.sancharsaathi.gov.in/
• FedEx India — Official Fraud Information: FedEx India Recognize & Report Fraud
• FedEx India — Official Tracking: FedEx Tracking

Disclaimer

This article is for general legal information and cyber-fraud awareness. It is not a substitute for advice on the facts of a particular case. Scam techniques, banking intervention processes, telecom systems and official reporting procedures can change. Verify the current official process before acting.

References to FedEx are descriptive references to a brand frequently impersonated in reported courier scams and do not suggest that FedEx participates in or is responsible for the fraudulent conduct described.

The applicability of BNS, BNSS, Information Technology Act or other provisions depends on the actual allegations and evidence in each case.

Related Delhi legal guides

FEMA proceedings in Delhi · Black Money Act guide · Cross-border asset tracing

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