The Odisha police in a tweet have warned people to be careful of the ‘sextortion’ gangs which are on the prowl on the social media platforms to trap unsuspecting victims.
The police in an advisory have warned people to stay away from obscene video chats on social media.
Several cybercriminals, including women, are targeting potential victims initially by sending them friendship requests. Then, they would make video calls to those falling for the trick after expressing their desire to speak with them.
The fraudsters often lure people into indulging in sleazy chats or video calls. Later, they start blackmailing the victims after recording such chats or conversations through fake accounts.
The criminals blackmail the victims by threatening to make their video public and continue with their attempts to force the victims into paying a ransom.
The police have appealed people not to entertain or accept video calls from strangers or unknown numbers. It has also been found that many people do not report such incidents out of fear or humiliation after falling into the traps of such blackmailers.
In the tweet, the police have assured all possible help to the sextortion victims who come forward and approach them.