Kolkata Police have arrested 17 people, including nine women, in connection with a cyber fraud racket that allegedly exploited the cash on delivery system used by online shoppers, after raiding a call centre in Gariahat during an investigation into multiple complaints.
Call Centre at Centre of Probe
The arrests were made by the cyber police department of Kolkata Police as part of an inquiry into a new form of online fraud targeting buyers who choose cash on delivery while ordering goods. During the searches, police seized 43 mobile phones along with SIM cards, laptops and wireless phones.
Police said the racket used a call centre to contact potential targets and deceive them into sending money before the ordered goods actually reached them. Officials said several complaints had been received before the network was uncovered.
FCRF Academy Launches Premier Anti-Money Laundering Certification Program
How the Fraud Worked
According to police, fraudsters first obtained digital information to identify people who had placed orders through cash on delivery on various online platforms. Before the actual seller or company delivered the goods, the fraudsters allegedly contacted the buyer and asked for payment through a QR code or a phone number on different pretexts.
Police said many buyers, believing they were dealing with a delivery agent, transferred the money before receiving the goods. The fraud became clear only later, when employees of the genuine online company arrived to deliver the order and the buyer realised the earlier payment had gone to an unrelated person.
Police Issue Warning to Buyers
A police official said it is not advisable to pay online before receiving goods ordered through cash on delivery, and stressed that payment should be made only after the product has actually been delivered. Officials said all buyers who send money through a QR code or phone number before receiving the goods risk being cheated.
Police said this type of fraud has turned the cash on delivery system itself into a tool for deception. The ordered goods are allegedly never delivered by the fraudsters, while the victim realises the scam only after the genuine delivery process begins. The investigation is continuing.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
