Hyderabad: A 59-year-old man from Banjara Hills lost ₹2.49 lakh in a courier delivery scam, prompting a warning from Hyderabad Cybercrime Police. Fraudsters impersonating a courier firm tricked him into entering his credit card details through a fake payment link.
The incident occurred on December 2 at 11:30 a.m. when he received a message from an unknown number. It claimed that his delivery attempt had failed twice. The message asked him to pay a ₹25 re-delivery fee using an attached link. Believing the SMS came from DHL, he clicked the link and submitted his card details.
Cyber officials urge caution against fake delivery links
Soon after, he entered the OTP meant for the ₹25 fee. Instead, ₹2.49 lakh disappeared from his account in a single transaction. Realising the fraud, he contacted the Hyderabad Cybercrime Wing and filed a complaint.
Cyber officials advised people to ignore SMS links demanding re-delivery fees. They warned that scammers often use names of known courier services to gain trust. Moreover, the public must avoid entering card details, CVVs, or OTPs on suspicious websites.
Authorities also plan to publish further guidance on avoiding phishing scams. Officials stressed that no courier company demands payment through third-party links. Immediate reporting can help limit financial damage.
