Mumbai: A practicing lawyer at the Bombay High Court has fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud involving a fake India Post parcel return message, resulting in a financial loss of nearly ₹92,000.
The incident occurred on April 25, when the lawyer received a text message from an unknown number stating: "Update your delivery location within 12 hours or the product will be returned." The message included a link to a website — https://myindiapost.pro/in — that appeared to be an official India Post portal. The site featured India Post’s logo, the national emblem, G20 India branding, and “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” banners to add legitimacy.
Believing it to be genuine, the lawyer entered personal details such as name, phone number, email, and office address on the website. He was then prompted to make a nominal payment of ₹25.02. When he attempted to pay using his Kotak Bank credit card, the transaction was shown as failed. However, shortly afterward, ₹92,967 was deducted from his account.
The lawyer promptly lodged complaints with Kotak Bank and the Indian government's cybercrime portal. He has demanded legal action against the mobile number holder and those behind the fake website. An FIR has been registered at Kalachowki Police Station, and further investigation is underway.