Rajasthan Police warns of India Post parcel scam via fake links, APK files
Synopsis
Rajasthan Police's Cyber Crime Branch has flagged a courier-impersonation scam spreading via SMS, WhatsApp, and email, where fraudsters pose as India Post to lure victims onto fake websites and harvest banking credentials — sometimes for as little as ₹10 in bait payments. Citizens are urged to use only www.indiapost.gov.in and report fraud to helpline 1930.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan Police's Cyber Crime Branch (R4C) issued a public advisory on 1 October 2026 warning of a courier-impersonation scam.
Fraudsters pose as India Post , Speed Post , or courier companies via SMS, WhatsApp, email, and phone calls .
Victims are directed to fake websites or asked to install malicious APK files that can compromise their devices.
Scammers ask for token payments of ₹10–₹50 to harvest debit/credit card details, net-banking credentials, or UPI PINs .
Official India Post tracking: www.indiapost.gov.in ; customer care: 1800-266-6868 ; fraud helpline: 1930 .
Rajasthan Police's Cyber Crime Branch (R4C) on 1 October 2026 issued a public advisory warning citizens across the state about a growing scam in which fraudsters impersonate India Post, Speed Post, and major courier companies to steal banking credentials. The advisory was issued on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar Sharma.
How the Scam Works
According to Additional Director General of Police (Cyber Crime) V.K. Singh, cybercriminals are contacting potential victims through SMS, WhatsApp, email, and phone calls. The messages typically claim that a parcel — sometimes described as containing government documents or valuable items — has been held due to an incorrect or incomplete delivery address.
Recipients are then urged to click a link immediately to update their address or risk the parcel being returned. The links lead to fake websites closely mimicking legitimate postal or courier portals. In some cases, fraudsters also send malicious APK files alongside these messages; installing such a file can give criminals access to sensitive information and device functions.
The Financial Trap
After directing victims to fraudulent websites, scammers reportedly ask for a nominal payment — as little as ₹10, ₹25, or ₹50 — to process the address correction. Victims are then prompted to enter debit or credit card details, net-banking credentials, or a UPI PIN. Cybercriminals can exploit this information to carry out unauthorised transactions and drain bank accounts, according to the advisory.
What the Advisory Recommends
Rajasthan Police has outlined several protective measures for citizens. Shipments should be tracked exclusively through the official India Post website at www.indiapost.gov.in. Citizens are advised to verify that any website they visit uses the .gov.in or .nic.in domain — markers of legitimate Indian government portals.
Other guidelines include checking call-forwarding settings, blocking suspicious senders, avoiding sharing confidential information online, and refraining from installing unknown applications. If in doubt about a delivery message, citizens are advised to call India Post's official customer-care helpline at 1800-266-6868.
How to Report Cyber Fraud
Anyone who falls victim to such fraud, or encounters a suspicious attempt, is urged to report it immediately by calling the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930. Rajasthan Police has stressed that messages creating a sense of urgency around a parcel or delivery should be treated as a red flag. Notably, this advisory is part of a broader pattern of courier-impersonation scams that have been reported in multiple states over the past year, targeting urban and semi-urban populations in particular.
As digital transactions deepen across Rajasthan, authorities are expected to intensify outreach campaigns to reduce first-time cyber fraud casualties.
Point of View
And state-level warnings tend to reach those already cautious rather than first-time victims. The ₹10–₹50 bait-payment technique is particularly insidious because the nominal sum lowers psychological defences before credentials are harvested. A more durable fix would require India Post and telecom operators to actively flag or block spoofed sender IDs at source, not just after victims report losses.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the India Post address-update scam flagged by Rajasthan Police?
It is a cyber fraud where criminals impersonate India Post, Speed Post, or courier companies via SMS, WhatsApp, email, or phone calls, claiming a parcel is held due to an incorrect address and asking recipients to click a link or install an APK file to update their details. The goal is to steal banking credentials including card numbers, net-banking passwords, and UPI PINs.
How do fraudsters steal money in this scam?
After directing victims to a fake website, scammers ask for a small payment of ₹10–₹50 to 'correct' the address, prompting victims to enter debit or credit card details, net-banking credentials, or a UPI PIN. Criminals then use this information to carry out unauthorised transactions from the victim's bank account.
How can I verify a genuine India Post delivery message?
Track shipments only through the official website www.indiapost.gov.in and check that any site you visit uses a .gov.in or .nic.in domain. If in doubt, call India Post's official customer-care helpline at 1800-266-6868 rather than clicking any link in a message.
What should I do if I receive a suspicious parcel or delivery message?
Do not click any links, download files, or make payments through the message. Verify the shipment independently via the official India Post portal, and if you suspect fraud, report it immediately to the National Cyber Crime Helpline by calling 1930.
Who issued this advisory and why?
The advisory was issued by Rajasthan Police's Cyber Crime Branch (R4C) on 1 October 2026, on the directions of DGP Rajiv Kumar Sharma, in response to a reportedly rising trend of courier-impersonation fraud across the state. Additional DGP (Cyber Crime) V.K. Singh announced the details of the scam and the protective measures citizens should take.
