Thane Woman Loses ₹1.11 Lakh in Shocking Sextortion Scam
Online friendship turns into nightmare blackmail scheme
A 23-year-old woman from Thane, Maharashtra, fell victim to a sextortion scam, losing ₹1.11 lakh to an unidentified fraudster who blackmailed her with a compromising video, police reported on Monday. The incident, which unfolded after the woman clicked a deceptive Instagram link, has led to a case being filed at Kashimira police station.
On July 8, while browsing Instagram, the woman encountered a post titled "UK Marriage Bureau" and clicked a link that opened a WhatsApp chat with a contact named "Rahul UK (UK Boy)." Their conversation quickly turned into a seemingly friendly exchange of personal details. However, the man manipulated her into stripping during a video call, secretly recording the act. The call abruptly ended within a minute.
On July 11, the fraudster claimed he had arrived in Mumbai but was detained by airport authorities, demanding money to be "saved." When the woman hesitated, he sent her the recorded video, threatening to leak it online unless she paid. Frightened, she transferred ₹1.11 lakh across over 30 transactions via digital payment platforms. After receiving the funds, the man became unreachable, prompting the woman to block his number.
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After confiding in her family, she lodged a complaint on July 18. The Kashimira police registered an FIR against the unknown perpetrator under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 308 (extortion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Authorities are now investigating to trace the suspect and uncover potential links to broader cybercrime networks.
