Labourer couple targeted by cyber gang posing as ‘foreign friend’ and ‘airport officials’; dollars-seizure threat used to extract money
Gorakhpur- A labourer couple living in Gorakhnath, Gorakhpur, has fallen victim to an elaborate cyber-extortion scheme that began with an Instagram friend request. The fraudsters first gained the woman’s trust through friendly chats and then used artificial intelligence to create a morphed obscene image of her. Threatening to spread it online, they coerced her into paying ₹2.80 lakh in multiple installments.
The case was reported to the Additional Director General (ADG) Zone, following which Gorakhnath Police have registered an FIR and launched a probe with the assistance of the Cyber Cell.
Friend request turns into a dangerous trap
According to the complaint, the woman and her husband recently shifted to a rented house in the area and work as daily wage labourers.
A few days ago, she created a new Instagram profile. Soon, a friend request from an unknown account appeared. After brief casual conversations, she accepted it.
The person introduced himself as “Amanpreet,” supposedly from England, and persuaded her to continue chatting on WhatsApp. Over time, he claimed he was planning a visit to India and wished to meet her.
“I have reached Mumbai Airport” — the second act of the fraud
Just three days after establishing contact, the accused messaged her that he had landed at Mumbai airport. Moments later, another call came from a different number.
The caller identified himself as an airport authority official and alleged that Amanpreet was carrying a large amount of US dollars that needed to be converted legally into Indian currency.
He threatened that both could face arrest under money-laundering laws unless she immediately deposited ₹17,100 for clearance charges.
Initially, the woman refused. But what followed shook her.
AI-generated obscene photo, viral threat triggers panic
As soon as she denied payment, the fraudster sent her a morphed AI-generated intimate picture on WhatsApp—created using images scraped from her profile—and threatened to circulate it widely on social media.
Terrified of humiliation and fearing harm to her family’s reputation, the woman transferred ₹17,100 as demanded.
Continuous blackmail pushes payments to ₹2.80 lakh
Once the first payment was made, the gang intensified pressure. New phone numbers, abusive calls, and repeated threats of viral exposure became routine.
Over subsequent days, the woman—under severe emotional distress—transferred money in multiple installments adding up to ₹2.80 lakh.
When the harassment escalated further, the couple switched off their phones and deleted social media accounts.
FIR registered; police say breakthrough soon
Unable to bear the threats any longer, the woman approached the ADG office seeking justice. Acting on the directive, Gorakhnath Police registered a case under sections related to cyber fraud, criminal intimidation, and IT Act offences.
A senior police officer said:
“All WhatsApp numbers, chat logs, and bank transactions are being examined with support from the Cyber Cell. Linked accounts and SIM details are under scrutiny. We are confident the gang will be identified soon.”
AI-powered social media fraud on the rise
Cybersecurity experts note that deepfake technology and AI-driven image manipulation have become powerful tools for blackmail. Scammers typically build trust first, then exploit victims emotionally, threatening reputation loss to extract money.
They caution that such crimes are expanding rapidly across India, particularly targeting women and first-time social media users.
Safety advisory for social media users
- Do not accept friend requests from unknown or foreign profiles
- Never share personal photos or sensitive details online
- Report threatening chats or extortion attempts to platform support teams
- In any case of financial coercion, immediately contact Cyber Helpline: 1930
- Do not pay even once—first payment only strengthens the fraudsters
The case underscores the evolving nature of online crimes, where technology and psychological manipulation combine to exploit vulnerable users. Police say the investigation is progressing swiftly and expect arrests soon.
