Mangaluru Woman Loses Rs 29 Lakh in International Parcel Scam

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, June 14, 2026: A 54-year-old woman was allegedly cheated of Rs 29 lakh by cyber fraudsters who befriended her on Facebook and lured her with promises of a parcel containing gold and foreign currency from the Netherlands.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN Crime Police Station, the woman came into contact with a man identifying himself as Dr Clinton Smith, purportedly a cardiologist based in the Netherlands, through Facebook in May 2025. After gaining her trust through WhatsApp conversations, he claimed to have sent a parcel containing gold and US dollars to her address. She was later contacted by persons posing as customs officials, who demanded money towards customs duty, storage charges and other fees to release the parcel allegedly detained at Delhi International Airport.

Believing the claims to be genuine, the woman transferred Rs 29 lakh in phases to various bank accounts provided by the accused. The fraudsters later told her that the parcel would arrive at Mangaluru International Airport, but no delivery was made. Realising she had been duped after repeated attempts to contact the accused failed, she approached the police. A case has been registered and investigations are underway.