Sextortion scam hits city resident, cyber crime police warns citizens

Hyderabad: A resident of Gowliguda lost Rs 3.41 lakh in a sophisticated sextortion fraud involving video call blackmail and an online payment scam.

According to Cyber Crime police, the victim reported that on 5 October, at approximately 1:30 pm, he received a call from a woman identifying herself as Jyothi Gupta, who attempted to seduce him. Shortly after, he received a video call from a man identifying himself as Vikram Goswami. The caller, who was wearing a uniform, threatened to circulate a video of the victim on social media to damage his reputation. The Cyber Crime DCP stated that, out of fear, the victim was coerced into making multiple payments via Google Pay to an individual named Manjeet Singh. The fraudsters falsely assured him that the case would be closed and the money refunded. The situation escalated when the accused hacked the victim’s bank accounts, causing additional losses. To further intimidate him, the scammers falsely claimed the woman from the initial call had died and demanded more money to “avoid legal trouble.” Due to fear and the social stigma involved, the victim eventually suffered a total financial loss of Rs 3,41,950.

Cyber Crime officials have advised citizens not to accept video calls from unknown numbers, particularly those involving indecent content. They warned that fraudsters record these calls specifically for blackmail.

“Law enforcement agencies do not demand money over the phone or video calls to ‘close cases’ or ‘stop videos from being circulated.’ Such claims are entirely fake,” the police clarified.

Citizens are urged never to transfer money under pressure or threat, even if the caller claims to be a police officer or advocate. Additionally, one should never share OTPs, bank details, or provide screen access to strangers. Cyber frauds should be reported immediately via the 1930 helpline or at www.cybercrime.gov.in for emergencies, the public can call or WhatsApp 8712665171.