WhatsApp Video Scam Alert: Gurugram Man Faints Upon Receiving Explicit Call

In the midst of the increasing incidents of cybercrime in Gurgaon, a 25-year-old individual, the son of a retired sessions court judge, reportedly experienced a distressing event.

According to the police, the man, who is also a lawyer, received a call on Sunday morning, June 11th, around 9:30 while he was present at his father's office in Sector 17 of Gurgaon. Shockingly, upon answering the call, he was confronted with a sight that caused him to faint—a woman undressing.

Upon being confronted with the explicit nature of the call, the man quickly terminated the connection. Unfortunately, the situation took a turn for the worse as the woman began sending explicit photos and resorted to blackmail, warning the man that she would publicly share screenshots from the video call on various social media platforms.

Gurugram Man Faints Upon Receiving Explicit Call

Following the incident, the victim lodged a first information report (FIR) against unidentified individuals. The case was registered at Sector 18 police station under Section 67A of the IT Act and Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The police have not made any arrests yet and are actively working towards identifying the culprits. Authorities have noticed an increase in similar cases, prompting the cyber crime police to focus on raising awareness about such fraudulent calls and scams in recent months. Numerous individuals have lodged complaints regarding the surge in extortion calls, as stated by a police officer.

WhatsApp Video Scam Alert:

The scam involving explicit video calls and messages through social media platforms is not a new phenomenon, and individuals across the country have fallen victim to it.

Scammers employ various tactics, such as using international numbers or attractive profile pictures, to lure unsuspecting recipients into answering their calls. Once the call is answered, the scammers proceed to blackmail the victims by playing compromising videos while secretly recording their reactions. The victims are then coerced into paying a ransom to prevent the release of the recording to their contacts.

To safeguard yourself against these scams, it is essential to follow certain safety precautions:

- Refrain from accepting friend requests or engaging in video calls with unfamiliar or untrustworthy individuals. It is particularly important to exercise caution when it comes to WhatsApp, avoiding interactions with unknown or international numbers.

- Regularly review and adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms to limit the exposure of your personal information to unauthorised individuals.

- Exercise caution and avoid responding or sharing personal information if you receive unexpected video calls or messages from unfamiliar numbers or contacts.

- In the event that you come across a scammer, report the incident to the appropriate authorities and block their contact information to prevent any further communication.