Delhi Police has uncovered two cyber blackmail and honeytrap rackets that allegedly used fake female profiles, dating applications and social media platforms to trap victims, record compromising material and extort money through threats of public exposure and fake police action.
Video Call Blackmail Racket Traced to Mewat
In one case, the Shahdara Cyber Police Station busted a gang accused of trapping people through video calls and then blackmailing them with obscene recordings. Police arrested the alleged mastermind, Armaan, from Rajasthan’s Mewat region. Investigators said he is a B.Com graduate and that two mobile phones and 11 SIM cards were recovered from him.
The case came to light after a victim filed a complaint on May 13, alleging that he had been contacted on social media by someone posing as a woman. After several days of conversation and online friendship, the accused allegedly initiated a WhatsApp video call. During the call, a pre recorded obscene clip was played while the victim’s own video was secretly recorded.
Police said the gang later threatened to circulate the video publicly unless the victim paid Rs 1 lakh. The victim initially transferred part of the money under pressure and fear of public embarrassment, but approached the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal after the demands continued.
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Police Recover Videos Linked to Multiple Victims
During the investigation, police used technical surveillance and digital tracking to trace the accused to the Mewat area. Officials said around 150 obscene videos were recovered from the suspect’s mobile phone, including videos allegedly linked to nearly 50 different victims.
Investigators believe the gang systematically targeted individuals by exploiting emotional vulnerability and fear of social humiliation. The operation relied on social engineering and repeated intimidation rather than random targeting.
The case has added to growing concerns over the use of social media platforms and private video calls as tools for digital extortion, where victims are first drawn into apparently personal interactions and later threatened with exposure.
Dating App Honeytrap Gang Also Busted
In a separate operation, the Delhi Crime Branch exposed another gang accused of running honeytrap and extortion schemes through dating apps. Police said the accused created fake female profiles on platforms such as Tinder and QuackQuack to befriend victims online and build trust.
Once contact was established, victims were allegedly invited to isolated locations or rented flats on the pretext of a personal meeting. Investigators said other gang members then arrived posing as police officers and threatened the victims with false rape allegations or criminal charges. Large sums of money were allegedly demanded in the name of settlement, with intimidation used to force payment.
Police have so far arrested four accused, Sushil Kumar, Deepak alias Sajan, Vinod and Neeraj Tyagi alias Dheeru, while two others are reportedly absconding. During a planned operation near Rajouri Garden, police intercepted a suspicious vehicle and detained one of the accused allegedly dressed in a fake police uniform. Subsequent raids led to the arrest of the remaining suspects.
Officials said the gang used fake digital identities, temporary phone numbers and rented locations to avoid detection. Investigators are now examining financial transactions, mobile data and chat records to determine the full extent of the network and possible links to similar cases in other states. Police have urged citizens not to panic if they receive threats from unknown persons online and have stressed that no legitimate law enforcement agency carries out digital arrests or official interrogations through video calls. Victims have been advised to immediately report such incidents through the 1930 cyber helpline or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
