The Crime Branch on Tuesday uncovered an alleged fake parcel delivery phishing scam and arrested one person from Odisha in connection with the case. An FIR was registered following a complaint lodged by a resident of Goa Velha, police officials said.
Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, Rahul Gupta stated that the accused cheated the complainant by sending a fraudulent text message claiming a reattempted parcel delivery. The message included a phishing link and sought payment of Rs85,000 under false pretences.
“During the investigation, a team led by Police Inspector Mahesh Gadekar proceeded to Odisha and apprehended the accused, identified as 38-year-old Susanta Hrusikesh Bhue,” Gupta said.
Further analysis of the accused’s mobile phone revealed that Bhue used a bulk SMS service to circulate phishing links to individuals across the country. Police also found multiple scam-related messages on his device involving honey trapping, credit card reward points, gaming platform payouts, and fake part-time job offers.
Authorities believe the accused was part of a wider cyber fraud network targeting unsuspecting victims through deceptive SMS campaigns. Further investigation is underway to identify other links and victims associated with the scam.
