Mumbai: Careful! Sextortion gangs now on dating apps, too

A screenshot of one of the chats with the complainant

In response to increased awareness and numerous cases reported across India, the sextortion gang appears to have altered its modus operandi. Instead of relying solely on WhatsApp, they appear to also be targetting people on online dating apps.

A recent incident involving a 29-year-old Mumbai-based restaurateur proves this evolving trend. After engaging in chats and video calls with a woman he met on a dating app, the complainant received threatening messages, prompting him to report the case to the Powai and the cyber cell police. Remarkably, he refused to succumb to the extortion demands, though the explicit videos had been sent to his friends by the unidentified woman involved.

The case

According to the complaint filed by advocate Ali Kashif Khan Deshmukh, the victim's encounter with a woman claiming to be one Anshika Agarwal, took place casually on a dating app. After exchanging conversations and contact details, they continued communication on WhatsApp.

"However, once the conversation shifted to WhatsApp, the accused woman began sending explicit and inappropriate content, including nude pictures to him. Despite my client's initial hesitation, she insisted on initiating a video call. Reluctantly, he agreed to one video call, during which he only revealed his face. Unfortunately, the accused manipulated him into another video call, when she engaged in explicit and inappropriate behavior, including getting nude," the complaint reads.

As per the complaint, the accused woman recorded these video calls and proceeded to blackmail the victim by threatening to send the videos to all his friends on social media. "The woman is demanding money, and if my client fails to comply, she has threatened to release a morphed video of him publicly. She provided a Google Pay number and demanded Rs 11,000," the Deshmukh said.

The complainant is firm about not paying her. "I was aware of sextortion rackets, but never imagined it could occur on online dating apps as well. Thankfully, I managed to avoid falling for her tactics, though she went as far as sharing my videos with some of my friends on social media. The conversations with her took place on a dating app, with her consent, and I had no intentions of engaging in video calls. However, she forced me into the first, and in the video, only my face was visible. I reported the incident to the authorities to prevent this from happening to others." the victim said.

Advocate speak

"We have approached police to register an FIR under Sections 383, 406, 417 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000 ,against the accused woman.

This incident has caused severe distress and mental anguish to him. He did not consent to such explicit content, inappropriate behaviour, and had to face the subsequent blackmailing and extortion attempts," Deshmukh said.

"As the gang continues to adapt their methods, we are actively investigating these cases and encouraging the public to exercise caution when using dating apps. Vigilance and awareness remain crucial in protecting oneself from potential sextortion threats," an officer of the cyber cell said.

According to official data from the Mumbai police, there have been 22 reported cases of sextortion this year, but regrettably, only one of them was solved. It appears that a significant number of these sextortion operations originate from Mewat in Rajasthan.

"This concerning trend highlights the need for increased efforts in combating such criminal activities. Authorities should prioritise investigations to identify and dismantle these sextortion rackets, thereby ensuring the safety and security of potential victims. Heightened awareness and collaboration between law enforcement agencies can aid in preventing further instances and bringing the culprits to justice," Deshmukh added.

Rs 11k
Amount the woman demanded at first