Fake courier agent tricks you into dialling a USSD code that forwards all your bank OTPs to the scammer
A caller posing as a courier agent sends a USSD code via SMS and asks you to dial it to 'confirm your address.' Dialling it activates call forwarding — all bank OTPs and verification calls go straight to the scammer.
Also known as: USSD call forwarding scam, OTP forwarding fraud, call forward code scam, courier USSD fraud, *21 scam India
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
Call 1930 now- 1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.
- 2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.
- 3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.
What to do right now
- 1 Hang up — no delivery agent will ever ask you to dial a code from an SMS to confirm a delivery
- 2 Never dial any USSD code beginning with *21, *61, *67, or similar prefixes when prompted by a stranger
- 3 If you already dialled the code, immediately dial ##002# from the same phone to cancel all call forwarding
- 4 Then call your bank and inform them that your OTPs may have been compromised; ask them to flag your account
- 5 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).
Red flags
- ⚠ No courier company (FedEx, Blue Dart, Delhivery, Amazon delivery, Flipkart) ever asks you to dial a code to confirm delivery
- ⚠ A USSD code arriving via SMS that starts with *21, *61, or *67 is a call-forwarding activation code — never dial it
- ⚠ After dialling, you may stop receiving calls from your bank or payment apps — this means forwarding is active
- ⚠ The caller creates urgency: 'dial now or your parcel will be returned' — this is pressure to act without thinking
Sources
- I4C (MHA) — USSD Call Forwarding Scam Nationwide Advisory
- Business Standard — Cyber alert: Scammers hijack call forwarding to steal OTPs, bank alerts
- The420.in — Courier Impersonation Scam Using '21#' Triggers I4C Alert
- The420.in — I4C Warns Of Rising USSD Call Forwarding Scam Targeting Bank OTPs
- Techlusive — Call Forwarding Scam Alert In India! Avoid Dialling Numbers Starting With 21, 61, 67
- VarIndia — Government warns of new USSD call forwarding scam targeting bank accounts