Timely alert on courier fraud

| S VENKATESHWARAN |

A recent fraud attempt was reported in Nanganallur, raising
concern among residents about a new type of courier scam
using the name of DTDC courier.
The incident took place on Sunday, March 15, around 10.30
am. Mr. V. Rama Rao, from the Senior Citizen Forum,
Nanganallur, shared his experience to create awareness
among the public.
According to him, while trying to track an expected parcel using
a consignment number, a fake DTDC website appeared on the
screen. Soon after, a person posing as a delivery agent
contacted him and requested a payment of Rs. 5 through
GPay, claiming it was a “registration fee” required for delivery.
He also insisted that no cash payment would be accepted at
the time of delivery.
Mr. Rama Rao became suspicious when questioned about the
charge, especially since the courier charges had already been
fully paid (Rs. 400 in this case). He noticed that the payment
process took unusually long, around 2 to 3 minutes, which
raised further doubts.
Sensing a fraud, he immediately alerted his bank and
requested them to block his savings account as a precaution.
This timely action prevented any financial loss. He later
reported the matter to DTDC officials.

The fraudulent call reportedly came from mobile number
9944225517, and another number 8033004444 was identified.
The payment request was shown under the name ‘Tamilnews
Thala’.
Mr. Rama Rao expressed concern over how the fraudsters had
access to consignment details, making the scam appear
genuine.
Residents are advised to stay alert and avoid making any small
or unusual payments for courier deliveries, especially through
unknown links or calls. Always verify directly with official courier
services before proceeding with any transaction.
This incident serves as an important warning for the public,
especially senior citizens, to remain cautious against such
online frauds.