In the last few years, there has been a huge increase in cases of online fraud. As time passes, the methods of fraudsters are also changing, due to which these crimes are becoming even more dangerous and effective. Recently, a similar case has come to light from West Bengal, in which a 70-year-old retired government employee was blackmailed through a morphed (edited) photo and duped Rs 6.5 lakh.

How did the fraud happen?

According to The Telegraph report, the victim is a resident of South Dinajpur district of West Bengal. About a month ago, he received a video call from an unknown number. On receiving the call, he saw a young woman on the screen. Initially, this call seemed normal, but later it turned out to be a well-planned conspiracy.

A few days later, the victim again received a video call. This time the callers showed him a morphed picture, in which he was seen in an obscene condition with that young woman. Seeing this, the victim panicked. After this, the fraudsters started demanding money from him and threatened that if he did not pay the money, they would make this morphed picture viral on social media.

The victim first decided to give the money but then hesitated. Seeing his hesitation, the fraudsters started scaring him further. They called the next time posing as police officers and falsely claimed that the young woman had tried to commit suicide and was currently admitted to a hospital in Delhi. The fake police officers threatened the elderly man that if he did not pay money for the treatment of the young woman, he would be arrested.

Out of fear, the victim transferred about Rs 6.5 lakh to the fraudsters. They repeatedly started asking for more money. Troubled by the constant pressure, the victim finally told his wife about this. The wife suspected that it was a case of fraud and advised him to immediately complain with the police.

How to avoid such cyber fraud?

This incident is not the only one. Many people on social media have shared similar experiences of fraud. These fraudsters usually contact a person of the opposite sex start chatting and then blackmail them by morphing and taking screenshots during the video call.

To avoid this

Avoid unknown calls: Do not receive any suspicious calls and if someone tries to blackmail you, disconnect the call immediately and report.

Beware of fake police: If someone introduces himself as a police officer or government employee, confirm his identity from an official source.

Do not share personal information: Do not share your photos, videos, or banking details with any unknown person.

Do not take any steps due to fear: Fraudsters often try to scare you, but instead of panicking, consult your family or the police.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.