66-year-old Cuffe Parade man loses ₹29 lakh to sextortion scam
MUMBAI: A 66-year-old Cuffe Parade resident who runs a medical store at Mohammad Ali Road befriended a charming woman online
MUMBAI: A 66-year-old Cuffe Parade resident who runs a medical store at Mohammad Ali Road befriended a charming woman online. They exchanged messages and phone numbers, and just days later, he received a video call on WhatsApp in which the woman appeared nude. Succumbing to the allure, the man unwittingly fell into a trap, leading to a series of blackmail that ultimately resulted in scammers extorting ₹29 lakh from him.
The South Cyber police registered a case on Friday against unknown persons following a complaint lodged by the 66-year-old man after the frauds’ demands for money increased.
Officials said that the episode started in June this year. “On the WhatsApp video call, the woman started stripping and asked the senior citizen to do the same. He followed her instructions and removed his clothes, unaware of the fact that the woman had recorded his video” said an officer.
“The next day the woman called the complainant and demanded ₹50,000 by threatening to make his nude video viral,” added the officer.
When the victim got scared and started avoiding her phone calls, a person called him and introduced himself as the deputy superintendent of police (DySP) in Delhi and told him that the woman with whom he stripped naked on WhatsApp had approached them with a complaint against him. The ‘officer’ asked if he wanted to brush the case under the carpet, then he would have to shell out a lump-sum amount.
The next day, the fraud officer called the victim and told him that the Delhi police had arrested the woman for filing a fake case and that she died by suicide in police custody.
{{/usCountry}}The next day, the fraud officer called the victim and told him that the Delhi police had arrested the woman for filing a fake case and that she died by suicide in police custody.
{{/usCountry}}“The fraud officer mounted pressure on the man and asked him to settle the matter. The fake officer said that the man will have to provide financial assistance to the family members of the woman. Unable to find a way out, the 66-year-old victim transferred ₹29.28 in 33 transactions to the fake cop,” said a police officer.
{{/usCountry}}“The fraud officer mounted pressure on the man and asked him to settle the matter. The fake officer said that the man will have to provide financial assistance to the family members of the woman. Unable to find a way out, the 66-year-old victim transferred ₹29.28 in 33 transactions to the fake cop,” said a police officer.
{{/usCountry}}When the demand for money started increasing, the victim spoke to a lawyer who told him that he was being cheated. The victim then approached the cyber police.
{{/usCountry}}When the demand for money started increasing, the victim spoke to a lawyer who told him that he was being cheated. The victim then approached the cyber police.
{{/usCountry}}“We have registered a case under sections 308 (6) (extortion), 318 (4) (cheating), 319 (2) (cheating by personation) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and also under various sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000,” said the police officer.
