Mumbai News: 23-Year-Old Woman Duped Of ₹1.11 Lakh, Blackmailed After Obscene Video Call With Fake US Businessman Met On Instagram

Befriending an unknown man over social media proved costly for a 23-year-old woman. The complainant through Instagram came in contact with a man who claimed to be a businessman from the United States. The two then gradually began chatting regularly and later the accused proposed to the complainant. He then induced her to indulge in obscene acts over a video call and recorded the said call, which he later used to blackmail her.

According to the police, the complainant used to work in a jewellery shop at Borivali. Earlier this month, the complainant while surfing her Instagram accounts came across a reel about making new friends. The complainant clicked on the said link in the reel after which her phone number got connected to the WhatsApp of a man who identified himself as Rahul, claiming to be into hotels and automobile showroom business. The two then began chatting regularly with each other and became close friends.

During one of their conversations, the accused proposed to the complainant to which she agreed. Thereafter, the accused kept asking the complainant to indulge in nudity over the video calls, after refusing initially on a few occasions, the complainant gave in to the demand of the accused and indulged in obscene acts over a video call. Rahul had told the complainant that he is coming to India on July 11.

On the said date, the complainant received a call from the accused who told her that he is at the airport and made the complainant speak to a person on the phone who claimed to be a Customs official. The scammer then told the complainant that Rahul had entered India illegally and was carrying unauthorised items with him. The scammers then demanded money from the complainant in order to release Rahul.

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When the complainant refused to pay money, the scammers shared an obscene video of the complainant which Rahul had previously recorded and threatened to make it viral. A frightened complainant then from July 11 till July 13 paid Rs 1.11 lakh in different beneficiary bank accounts in 34 online transactions. Later when the demand for money kept continuing, the complainant informed her family and got an offence registered in the matter.

A case has been registered by the MBVV police on charges of extortion, cheating, publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form, violation of privacy of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act.