Mumbai: A 36-year-old marketing businessman became a victim of online loan fraud and has lodged a complaint against loan sharks. The victim had taken a loan from an online app and was later threatened and harassed by the recovery agents.
The agents also prepared his morphed obscene video and shared it with relatives of the victim. According to the police, in April 2021, the victim had come across a loan app through a Facebook post. The victim had downloaded the app on his phone and had taken a loan of Rs 9,900 through the said app on November 25, 2021.
Blackmailed with morphed obscene video
In February 2023, the victim got a call on his phone from an unknown mobile number. The caller told the victim to repay the loan he had taken from the app, after which the victim assured to repay the amount on March 25. However, the caller insisted the victim immediately pay the money or else he would make the victim's obscene video and photograph and would make them viral to tarnish the victim's reputation. The said person then disconnected the call. Then on March 20, the victim realised that the loan recovery agent had created a morphed obscene video of his and sent it to some of his relatives. When the victim confronted the said agent and questioned why he made the obscene video and shared it with his relatives, the agent started abusing and threatening him. Harassed with this, the victim approached the police and lodged a complaint on Wednesday. The police have registered a case on charges of defamation, intentional insult, criminal intimidation and publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act etc, in electronic form under the relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and Indian Penal Code.
10 tips to stay safe from online banking fraud |
Mumbai police cautions citizens
According to Cyber Crime Cell under Crime Branch of Mumbai police , the most common form of online frauds are related to banks, online commerce platforms where fraudsters, posing as bank /platform officials, convince the victim to share OTP, KYC updates and sometimes send the links to be clicked to access bank accounts.“People should know that no bank or institution is authorised to demand for bank details or PIN numbers. Unfortunately, educated people are falling prey to online frauds and losing lakhs of rupees,” explained DCP Cyber Crime, Balsingh Rajput.
