Obscene video call from woman on Instagram, duped youth Rs 1.20 lakh

Another youth in Gurugram fell prey to sextortion.

In the latest victim of cybercrime a woman made an obscene video call to a young man and recorded the act to blackmail him. The incident began when the individual received a seemingly innocent video call request from a woman on the popular social media platform. Upon accepting the call, the woman reportedly engaged in an obscene video conversation, which was likely recorded without the young man's consent.

Shortly afterward, the man began receiving messages threatening to publicly release the video if he did not pay a sum of money. The scammers used fear tactics, stating that the video would be sent to his friends, family members, or shared on social media platforms, leading him to comply in order to protect his reputation. Over a series of transactions, he ended up paying Rs 1.20 lakh to the extortionists in an attempt to prevent the video's release.

According to the police, a youth became a victim of cybercrime in Haryana’s Gurugram where a woman made an obscene video call and recorded the act. Harish Madhwani, under pressure made payments of Rs 1.20 lakh through different transactions.

The police has registered an FIR after receiving the complaint at cyber-crime police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A senior cyber police officer said that they are trying to identify the accused and they will be arrested soon.

These types of scams, often referred to as "sextortion," have become increasingly common. Scammers exploit the personal and intimate nature of video calls to manipulate victims into paying large sums of money. They often prey on individuals' fear of social embarrassment or reputational damage, pressuring them into compliance.