Rajasthan Police’s Cyber Crime Threat Analytics unit has warned citizens about a new and dangerous method of fraud using USSD codes that can result in unauthorised withdrawals from bank accounts and takeover of social accounts. The advisory, issued under the direction of the Director General of Police for Cyber Crime, describes how criminals impersonate courier or delivery agents to persuade victims to dial a code that unknowingly activates call forwarding on their phones.
How the USSD scam works
According to the advisory, fraudsters contact victims claiming to be delivery personnel attempting to confirm or reschedule a parcel. They then send an SMS containing a short numeric string—frequently beginning with 21, 61 or 67—followed by a mobile number. The message is presented as a confirmation or tracking code and victims are urged to dial it. When the code is dialled, the phone’s call-forwarding service is activated and all incoming calls, including bank OTPs and authentication calls for messaging apps, are redirected to the fraudster.
Deputy Inspector General Dev Sharma of the Cyber Crime unit explained that once call forwarding is active, criminals receive one-time passwords and verification calls. They can then complete unauthorised financial transactions or take control of WhatsApp, Telegram and other accounts that use voice or SMS verification.
Immediate protective steps
The cyber unit has urged citizens not to dial any code requested by an unknown caller. If there is any suspicion that call forwarding has been enabled on your device, dial ##002# immediately. This command cancels all call-forwarding services on most mobile networks, preventing further redirection of calls to the fraudster.
Other practical precautions include verifying courier or delivery details only through official websites or the service provider’s customer care number, ignoring suspicious SMS or WhatsApp links, and refusing to provide or dial any unsolicited numeric codes. Banks routinely share awareness messages and customers are advised to read and follow them.
How to report the fraud
If you believe you have been targeted or have suffered a loss, contact the national cyber helpline on 1930 without delay. Complaints can also be filed on the Indian Cyber Crime portal at www.cybercrime.gov.in. Rajasthan Police have provided WhatsApp helpline numbers 9256001930 and 9257510100 for direct reporting.
The advisory is a timely reminder that simple actions—such as dialing an unknown USSD code—can have serious consequences. Authorities recommend cancelling call forwarding immediately if there is any doubt and using official channels to verify delivery details to reduce the risk of falling victim to this evolving scam.
Key Takeaways:
- Rajasthan Police issue advisory after a rise in USSD scam incidents where fraudsters pose as delivery agents.
- Victims are sent a USSD code that, when dialled, activates call forwarding and redirects OTPs and authentication codes to criminals.
- Civilians are advised not to dial unknown codes and to cancel forwarding immediately by dialling ##002#.
- Report suspected fraud to the national cyber helpline 1930, the cybercrime portal or Rajasthan Police WhatsApp numbers.
