Bengaluru, India – Scamsters targeted a lawyer in Bengaluru, not only defrauding her of over 14 lakh (Indian currency) but also coercing her to strip on video for a “narcotics test” as a means of blackmail. The perpetrators then demanded an additional 10 lakh from her, prompting her to report the incident to the police.
The lawyer’s harrowing ordeal began when she received a call from someone claiming to be from FedEx, stating that a parcel in her name had been returned. The scammers alleged that the parcel, sent from Mumbai to Thailand, contained illegal items including passports, credit cards, and banned drugs. The lawyer, who denied any involvement with the package, was advised to contact the cybercrime team in Mumbai to report identity theft. However, she was redirected to another person claiming to be from the team.
Under the guise of conducting an investigation, the fraudulent officer asked the lawyer to download Skype and initiate a video call. With her camera on, the lawyer was coerced into reciting an oath of confidentiality, pledging not to disclose any information until the investigation was complete. The scamsters collected extensive personal details from the lawyer, including bank account balance, salary, and investments.
Subjected to constant surveillance by the scammers, the lawyer was instructed to switch on her camera and share her screen to prove that she was not communicating with anyone else. She was falsely informed that police and politicians were involved in an alleged high-profile money laundering and human trafficking case connected to her bank.
Manipulated by the scammers, the lawyer was coerced into transferring the entire balance of her account, as per false RBI guidelines, to a dummy account. Throughout the process, she was forced to remain on the call and share her phone’s screen for monitoring. Subsequently, she was urged to download an app to conduct fraudulent Bitcoin transactions, which ultimately failed due to transaction declines.
In a horrific turn of events, the scammers compelled the lawyer to strip for a “narcotics test.” Threatening to arrest, harm, and even kill her and her family, they forced her to produce lewd videos while recording. In an attempt to extort more money, the scamsters blackmailed the lawyer, threatening to sell the videos on the dark web if she did not provide an additional 10 lakh by a specific deadline.
Distressed and fearful, the lawyer filed a police complaint in Bengaluru, prompting an investigation into the incident. Authorities are currently working to bring the scamsters to justice and provide support to the victim. This case serves as a reminder that even those well-versed in the law are vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated and manipulative cyber criminals.