Mumbai, October 26: Befriending a charming woman online proved costly to a 66-year-old Cuffe Parade resident who was allegedly duped of INR 29 lakh in a sextortion scam. Police officials said the victim runs a medical store at Mohammad Ali Road. The alleged incident happened in June and came to light on Friday, October 25, when the South Cyber police registered a case based on the victim's complaint.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the alleged sextortion fraud started in June when the elderly man met the woman online and exchanged messages and phone numbers with her. A few days later, the victim received a video call on WhatsApp in which the woman appeared naked. Soon after the complainant answered the WhatsApp video call, the woman started stripping. Sextortion in Mumbai: Mahim Resident Blackmailed, INR 21 Lakh Extorted After Woman Threatens To Upload Their ‘Nude’ Clip Post Luring Him Into Video Call on Facebook.

Victim Strips Himself After Woman Appears Nude on WhatsApp Video Call

Cops said that the victim followed the woman's instructions and stripped himself, unaware that he was being recorded. The following day, the woman called the victim and demanded INR 50,000 from him after threatening to make his nude video viral. However, the victim, who was scared, started avoiding her phone calls. Later, an unidentified man called the complainant and introduced himself as the deputy superintendent of police (DySP) in Delhi.

Fake Officer from Delhi Asks Victim to Pay Money to Brush the Case

The caller told the victim that the woman with whom he stripped naked on WhatsApp had approached them with a complaint. The so-called DySP asked the complainant to spend money if he wanted to brush the case aside. The next day, the victim received a call from the fraud officer who said that the woman who filed a fake case against him had died by suicide in police custody. Sextortion in Mumbai: Railway Employee Dies by Suicide After 'Facebook Friend' Threatens to Leak His Obscene Video on YouTube, Case Registered.

When the "con" officer pressured the victim to settle the matter and provide financial assistance to the victim's family, he gave in and transferred INR 29.28 in 33 transactions. Post this, the victim spoke to a lawyer when the demand for money started increasing. After learning from the lawyer that he was being cheated, the victim approached the cyber police.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 26, 2024 09:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).