Fraudsters are laying honey traps and forcing victims to cough up hefty amounts in increasing numbers, police have said.
In most cases the fraudsters send a ‘friend request’ from the fake profile of a woman. That is followed by video calls that lure victims into erotic acts and finally the victims are blackmailed with the recorded videos.
Complaints of being duped in such a matter have poured in from across the city.
City detective chief Murlidhar Sharma has taken to Twitter to issue a warning.
“A gang is active whose members make video calls and entices them to engage in erotic/sexual acts. They screen record the person's act and thereafter start making extortion calls,” Sharma, joint commissioner of police, crime prevention, tweeted on Saturday.
“Some pose as police officers and threaten to settle the matter by paying money. If you have received such (a) video call immediately cut the call, block the number and inform (the) police. If you are a victim of such (an) extortion scam don’t get scared or feel shy. Report (the) matter to (the) police.”
Officers who have questioned some accused said organised gangs were at work and they would target victims after scanning their social media profiles.
“Instead of trying to reach a settlement, report the matter to us immediately,” said an officer of the cyber police station. “A few payments online often expose the victim to online phishing.”
In July, a team of Maharashtra police had reached the city to arrest Kalyan Shaw, 27, from Survey Park on charges of allegedly honey-trapping an official of the Maharashtra government.
Officers alleged Kalyan had hired three women for the trap and extorted Rs 42 lakh from the official.
