Facebook Sextortion SCAM: Mumbai Man duped of over 12 Lakh; Learn how to protect yourself

In a shocking development, a Santacruz resident was duped of Rs. 12.24 lakh in a Facebook sextortion scam. Here’s what you should never do on Facebook and how to protect yourself.

A Facebook sextortion scam has just been outed with the man losing over Rs. 12 lakh. (AFP)

We've all seen stories of people getting scammed on various social media platforms. In a similar story, a 47-year-old resident of Santacruz was scammed of a massive sum of Rs. 12.24 lakh through a Facebook sextortion scam.

The Facebook user had sent a friend request to one Priyanka Sharma a couple of days ago. She accepted the friend request and then messaged him later. She then shared her phone number with him where the two briefly talked. The user then made a video call to Priyanka Sharma, Hindustan Times reported.

According to a Police Officer who requested not to be named, “There were three video calls between the complainant and the woman the same night and during the conversation, the woman was naked. She had also managed to convince the complainant to take off his clothes. After a few minutes, the woman called him and said that she had recorded their video call conversation and threatened to upload it on various social media platforms if he didn't pay her. As per her direction the complainant first transferred Rs. 20,000 in a given bank account.”

The user then received a call from someone named Manjeet Singh Rathod posing as a Delhi Police Cyber Cell officer who informed the man of his video having been uploaded on YouTube as well as a complaint being filed against him. He then shared the contact details of an alleged YouTube official named Srikant who along with his colleague Mahindra Swami kept threatening him with legal action in exchange for money. Although the user complied, he finally got fed up and registered a case with Delhi Police Cyber Cell and filed an FIR.

Extortion rackets have been becoming more and more common, scamming people and threatening them for money.

Here’s how you can protect yourself against such activities

Step 1:

Don’t send or accept unknown friend requests on social media platforms. Do not indulge in any unsavoury conversations or acts with them that can be taped on video. 

Step 2:

Never get yourself involved in any “special offers”.

Step 3:

Never accept money from strangers and most of all, do not be lured by their offers.

Step 4:

NEVER share your intimate photos or videos. This also applies to various social media and even bank account details too.

Step 5:

If you’ve been scammed, seek the help of the Cyber Cell at your nearest Police Station.