TL;DR: A woman in Punjab was told that a parcel with expensive gifts and foreign currency had been seized by Customs and that she must pay to get it released. She transferred around ₹15 lakh. Khanna Police investigated and recovered ₹4 lakh, which was returned to her.
What happened in Punjab
The Tribune reported on March 22, 2026 that a woman in Punjab was contacted by scammers claiming that a parcel containing expensive gifts and foreign currency had been seized by Customs. The fraudsters told her she needed to pay money to get the parcel released.
She eventually transferred around ₹15 lakh.
What police recovered
Khanna Police investigated the case and managed to recover ₹4 lakh, which was returned to her. The recovery was only part of the original loss, but it showed that even after a substantial transfer, some money may still be traceable and recoverable.
How the parcel scam works
The script is familiar: a promise of a gift or a seized package, an official-sounding claim, and a series of fees. We explain it in fake parcel and customs scams, and it belongs to the wider list in common scams in India in 2026. A real customs process does not ask you to keep paying individuals to release a package you did not order.
If you have paid, report through 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, and read the 1930 golden hour explained and what to do after you have been scammed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the Punjab woman lose to the customs parcel scam?
She transferred around ₹15 lakh to the scammers.
How much did police recover?
Khanna Police recovered ₹4 lakh and returned it to her.
What was the scammers' story?
They claimed a parcel with expensive gifts and foreign currency had been seized by Customs and that she had to pay to have it released.
Can part of the money still be recovered after a large transfer?
Yes. This case shows that even after a substantial transfer, some money may still be traceable and recoverable.