In a disturbing incident, cyber crime police in the Central division recently filed an FIR against unidentified individuals for allegedly threatening and blackmailing a 40-year-old railway employee. The victim reported being extorted for double the loan amount he originally secured through an instant online loan application, with the perpetrators using a horrifying morphed image of him.
Authorities have initiated proceedings under Section 67A of the IT Act, which pertains to the publishing or transmitting of sexually explicit material, as they intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible.
According to the employee’s complaint, he downloaded an instant loan application to meet an urgent financial need. The requested amount, along with applicable interest, was promptly credited to the account he had linked within the app.
However, what followed was a torrent of unsolicited messages from three different mobile numbers via WhatsApp. These messages aggressively demanded repayment of double the loan amount, completely out of the blue and without any clear explanation.
When the distressed employee attempted to communicate and understand the exorbitant demands, the alleged scammers escalated their tactics. They shockingly manipulated the complainant’s photograph into a nude image and circulated it, not only to him but also to his personal contacts, including family and friends.
This alarming case serves as a crucial reminder from law enforcement: steer clear of instant loan applications. Police are consistently advising the public against using such platforms, highlighting the severe risks of harassment, blackmail, and rampant cyber fraud associated with them.