Missed Courier Calls Can Hide A Call-Forwarding Scam: What Mobile Users Should Know

A routine-looking courier message can be the start of a phone takeover attempt. Nilesh Shah, managing director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company, said in a post on X that he received two missed calls followed by an SMS asking him to contact a courier through a long number string. A caller later asked him to dial it.

Shah did not follow the instruction. On checking, he found that the sequence began with 21, a telecom command used to activate unconditional call forwarding. In the wrong hands, this ordinary mobile feature can divert every incoming call to a number controlled by a fraudster.

How The Courier Trap Works

The scam begins with a familiar excuse: a parcel could not be delivered, the address needs confirmation, or a delivery must be rescheduled. The caller may sound hurried and ask the recipient to dial a code, presenting it as a courier number or a way to speak to the delivery agent.

The string may contain an asterisk, a call-forwarding command, the fraudster’s mobile number and a hash sign. Once dialled, incoming calls can be redirected without the victim fully realising what has changed. The fraudster may then receive verification calls or exploit the diversion while trying to reset or take over banking, messaging and other digital accounts.

Dialling the code does not, by itself, hand over money or reveal a bank password. The risk arises because the victim has unknowingly changed a network setting. That diversion can become one step in a larger fraud involving impersonation, stolen personal details or account-recovery requests.

What To Do If You Dialled The Code

Do not dial any code shared by an unknown caller, even when the person claims to represent a bank, courier company, telecom operator or government office. Delivery updates should be checked only through the courier company’s official app, website or customer-care number found independently.

People who suspect that call forwarding has been activated should first check the call-forwarding settings on their phone. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has also advised dialling ##002# to cancel call forwarding. Since handset and telecom settings can differ, users should confirm the status with their mobile operator as well.

If calls have already been diverted, change passwords for important accounts, review recent bank and UPI activity, and contact the bank immediately if anything looks unfamiliar. A cyber-fraud complaint can be made by calling 1930 or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

The warning is simple: a genuine courier agent may ask for directions or an address confirmation, but should not need a customer to activate a telecom service. A string filled with asterisks and hash signs is a reason to stop, not dial.

FAQs

1. How does the courier call-forwarding scam work?
Fraudsters ask users to dial a code disguised as a courier contact number. The code may activate call forwarding and divert incoming calls to the scammer.

2. What should you do if you have dialled the code?
Check your phone’s call-forwarding settings, contact your telecom operator, and review bank and UPI transactions. Change important account passwords if needed.

3. How can you avoid such scams?
Never dial codes shared by unknown callers. Confirm delivery issues only through the courier company’s official app, website, or independently verified customer-care number.