Pune Woman Forced To 'Strip' On Video Call, Loses Rs 14 Lakh To Cyber Criminals

Once celebrated as a symbol of advancement and unity, the online world today has been largely morphed into a playground for nefarious activities skillfully executed by cybercriminals. In a recent case, a 28-year-old woman in Pune found herself tangled in a sophisticated scam, losing a substantial sum of Rs 13.94 lakh to cunning fraudsters posing as courier company personnel and members of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The Deceptive Facade

The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, found herself targeted in a distressing situation when she received a call from an individual posing as an officer from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Adopting an authoritative tone, the caller made grave accusations of money laundering and terror connections against her. Playing on her vulnerability and fear of legal consequences, the scammer coerced her into a supposed "physical verification" via a video call.

Under the guise of investigating a parcel intercepted by NCB officials, the fraudster manipulated the woman into revealing sensitive information, including her bank details. To add to the deception, the scammer demanded a monetary transfer under the pretext of verifying her bank transactions. However, the situation took a perverse turn when the woman was pressured into undressing during the video call, purportedly for inspecting moles and birthmarks—an egregious violation of her privacy and dignity.

After the perpetrators callously ran off with her money, refusing any attempts at repayment, the IT professional finally grasped the depth of the deception. Struggling with the betrayal and financial setback, she quickly filed a complaint with the cybercrime unit of the Pune police.

Legal Recourse

Law enforcement authorities have taken decisive action by invoking strict provisions of the Information Technology Act and Section 354B of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with assault or the use of criminal force against women with the intent to disrobe. As the investigation progresses, authorities plan to work closely with banking institutions, cellphone companies, and video call applications to examine the details of financial transactions and communication logs.

The story of the 28-year-old woman from Pune is a sobering reminder of the dangers that exist in the digital world, where anonymity emboldens wrongdoers and deception hides in the virtual shadows.As protectors of our own online lives, staying vigilant and being discerning are our best defenses against the schemes of online fraudsters.