Indecent exposure: This girl video calling you on web could lead to ‘sextortion’

By Akash Upadhyay

Internet – from friendships to relationships, marriage and flings – it is uncanny what people can do on the internet. And who doesn’t like to have friends on the web? Especially, if it is a beautiful girl being added to your friend’s list.

One will feel good about it and imagine out of the blue she starts chatting with you and is interested in being friends with you. While there might be some “sakht launde” out there who will refuse the offer, for majority of people it would seem like an interesting opportunity.

The icing on the cake will be when she video calls you. Yes, you are reading it right that she video calls you and gets nude. Before you could gauge what is happening, her actions will lead you to get undressed yourself.

Well, not every dating site or online portal will bring you love or make you meet your soul mate. Some will become an affair you rather not be reminded of.

Upon connecting to the call, whether you agree or not to talk to the person on the other side, she will use the screen recording feature of the smartphone to record the video during the call and will eventually use it to blackmail you.

During recent times, such kinds of cybercrimes are on a continuous rise. There are multiple profiles existing on Facebook with the same profile picture. Sometimes Riya, sometimes Priya or Sneha or someone with another name could be the display name used by this girl.

A few days ago, a doctor living in the posh society in Noida started having conversations on messenger with an unknown girl. Once she initiated the conversation, the doctor did reply to the greeting texts.

The woman then asked the doctor to meet on a video call which the doctor denied. However, a while later she video called him on messenger and started stripping immediately. She then asked the doctor undress as well.

The doctor removed his clothes, but to his amusement, the call was disconnected. After a few days, some of the doctor’s friends began receiving a video clip of the nude girl and doctor.

The girl threatened the doctor by using the video and asked him to pay Rs 10,000 for not disclosing the video to the family members.

Following the same pattern, a Noida-based businessman too was duped for Rs One Lakh.

Both the complaints have been registered with Noida’s cyber cell. The Noida police have registered FIRs under the relevant section of Cybercrime and have started investigation in the matter.

Who’s on the target list: Are you on the internet till late?

The targets of these kinds of online scams on dating apps or other websites are usually people who sit online till late at night. The targets usually hail from good family background and posh societies.

Cybercriminals also keep a lookout for targets in dance clubs, big social gatherings, and high-society parties.

Such people tend to care about their social status and rapport. They can easily be threatened and duped for a large amount of money for the sake of their respect in society.

How not to fall for these scams

Even though cyber attacks are on a rise, there are some ways by which you can keep a check on your privacy so that you do not become the next target of such people.

–          Always keep your social media accounts locked.

–          Try not to make your FB or Instagram accounts public.

–          Be more alert while using Facebook Messenger.

–          If you receive any calls on messenger from unknown people, make sure you don’t respond to it.

–          If in case you do pick up the call, try and not reveal your face.

–          Even after all precautions, you do get caught in such traps, don’t panic. Do report it to the nearest police station at the earliest.