An online blackmail case involving a young cricketer in Bengaluru has become a case study in the latest case that underlines the continued rise of cyber-enabled sextortion scams in India. A young cricketer from Maharashtra who met a girl on dating apps was blackmailed through a video call and then blackmailed to publish the video on the internet; the cricketer came to the Bengaluru Cyber Crime Police and filed a complaint with them.
They say the incident occurred while the cricketer was staying at a five-star hotel in North Bengaluru. On a dating site, the athlete had been contacted by a girl who had sent him a message. What appeared to be a casual encounter turned out to be a carefully orchestrated trap.
Police officials said the woman was seen doing explicit stuff during the video call. The cricketer, caught off guard and affected by the situation, responded similarly during the conversation, they added. The video call lasted for only about 30 seconds before the woman abruptly disconnected.
The situation then turned very dramatic shortly after when the woman and her friends contacted him. They sent him screenshots and videos from the video call and threatened to share them on social media if he didn’t pay them. Fearing damage to his reputation, career, and personal life, the young athlete transferred money to the accused individuals.
But the nightmare didn’t stop there. Even after the initial payment, the cricketer was contacted by the blackmailers and was asked to pay more and more. The extortion and the threats were so much that the victim had to get help from friends, and then he approached the law enforcement authorities.
The Bengaluru Cyber Crime Police have registered a case and have commenced their investigation into the matter. The accused extortion racket is still being investigated, and the digital footprint left behind when a person was talking and making financial transactions through a variety of platforms is still under investigation. “The woman could be part of a larger cybercrime network that targets individuals through dating and social media, and so we think that she is from that same network,” said the Cyber Crime Police Chief.
Experts are calling them “sextortion” schemes and say that cybercrime scams have been on the rise for a few years. Criminals create fake profiles on dating apps or social media to get in touch with vulnerable victims. Once they gain trust, they then convince victims to have sex in front of them with video calls to secretly record and use that video to extort money from them in the name of public exposure.
The cyber police issued a public warning to use caution while using dating apps and contacting strangers online. People were advised to avoid sharing personal information, answering video calls from unknown people, or doing something that would be recorded and used later, the police said.
The officials also highlighted how some of the most advanced technology tools - AI - are being used to manipulate images and videos to make online scams even more elaborate and difficult to detect. They said we can’t do nothing at all but report them immediately, rather than succumb to blackmail pressure.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved with online interactions and the need for digital vigilance. As cybercriminals evolve their tactics, users must take care of their privacy and safety as they navigate digital platforms.
