Fake Death Extortion Racket, 7 Arrested: Malkajgiri Cyber Crime Police Bust 7. Malkajgiri Cyber Crime Police have arrested seven suspects involved in various cybercrime cases — a harrowing fake-death extortion scheme that emotionally manipulated victims through social media. Arrests were made as part of a week-long pan-India operation between Feb. 15 and Feb. 21. Investigators managed to recover ₹31,72,966 that the court ordered be refunded to the victims.
Facebook Friendship Becomes an Emotional Trap. The accused ran a highly sophisticated cyber fraud network using social media to groom and intimidate others, particularly through forms of friendship and matrimonial-esque engagement on Facebook, investigators said. In one horrifying incident, a woman pretending to be “Sonia” approached a victim. Within a week of online conversations, the scammer reported being dangerously ill and called for help on a real-time basis. The victim was then made aware of the alleged treatment with money, and was later told that “Sonia” was dead. The victim soon received calls from a group of people impersonating her family, demanding money for hospital and funeral costs. The scam was carefully engineered to emotionally manipulate victims by establishing trust, inducing urgency, and then capitalizing on grief, the police say.
₹31.72 Lakh Recovered. Cyber Crime officials said that ₹31,72,966 was recovered and that it will be returned to affected victims, per court orders. Additional victims and links to larger interstate fraud networks are under investigation.
Public Police Advisory. Citizens have received a warning from authorities:
Do not send money to people you come across on the internet without making accurate identifications.
Be wary of emergencies on a medical or emotional level.
Keep personal or financial information secret from strangers.
Report suspicious material as you discover it to cyber crime authorities.
Cybercriminals can exploit love, empathy, and trust, said officials, so awareness would be the single most important barrier. More updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
