Bengaluru, April 28: Posing as a female doctor, a fraudster managed to scam a 37-year-old man from Bengaluru out of INR 5.5 lakh in just 24 hours. The victim, Aarav (name changed), accepted a Facebook friend request from the fake profile, believing it to be genuine. After some casual conversations, the fraudster initiated a WhatsApp video call during which explicit content was shown. Shortly after, Aarav was blackmailed with a morphed video featuring his face, threatening to circulate it among his social circle.

According to a report by the Times of India, Aarav’s interaction with the fraudster began when he received a friend request from a profile posing as a female doctor. Despite not knowing the person, Aarav responded to the request out of curiosity and started a conversation with the profile. The fake doctor initiated a WhatsApp video call, during which explicit content was shown, leaving Aarav feeling uneasy but unsure of what was happening. Before he could block the number, the blackmailers made their move. Investment Scam in Bengaluru: Woman Defrauded of INR 2 Crore in ‘High Return’ Stock Trading Scheme.

The fraudsters, using a different phone number, claimed to have evidence of Aarav’s involvement in an obscene video call and threatened to share the morphed clip with his Facebook friends and on social media. They demanded a ransom, initially asking for INR 1 lakh. Aarav, scared and confused, made the payment through a digital payment app, hoping the situation would end there. However, the scammers continued to pressure him, with one person introducing themselves as the "Boss" and demanding further payments. Online Scam in Bengaluru: Man Poses As ‘Expert Astrologer’ on Instagram, Dupes Woman of INR 5.9 Lakh After Promising Love Marriage.

By the evening of April 19, Aarav had paid a total of INR 5.5 lakh in multiple transactions. The police, who are investigating the case, are looking into whether the videos shown to Aarav were actually morphed. A senior officer stated that a case has been filed under the Information Technology Act and sections of the Indian Penal Code related to cheating, as the victim’s fear and confusion led him to fall into the trap set by the scammers.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2025 11:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).