Bengaluru: A 24-year-old Sri Lankan student residing in the city has become the latest victim of an online sextortion racket after an unidentified person allegedly trapped him through Instagram and later extorted money through threats.
Friendship on Instagram turns into blackmail
According to the complaint filed with the police, the victim was first contacted on Instagram by the accused, who gradually developed an online friendship with him. The communication later moved to WhatsApp, where the accused initiated video calls.
During these calls, the victim alleges that the individual secretly captured his personal photographs and private videos without consent. Soon after, the accused began demanding money, threatening to release the content online.
Threats to leak videos force payment
Police said the accused warned the complainant that the videos would be circulated to his friends and relatives, and even uploaded on social media platforms, if he failed to comply with the demands.
Fearing humiliation, the student transferred ₹36,000 to the accused. But the extortion did not stop there — the scammer continued to demand more money, threatening to publish the videos if further payments were not made.
Victim files complaint after mental distress
The continuous harassment caused significant mental trauma to the student, prompting him to approach the police. Officers have now registered a case and initiated a detailed investigation to trace the online offender.
Police caution on rising sextortion cases
Officials noted that sextortion scams have been on the rise, especially targeting young students and working professionals through social media. They urged the public to exercise caution while interacting with unknown individuals online and to report any such attempts immediately.
The investigation is ongoing, with police examining digital footprints to identify and apprehend the culprit.