Beware! Don’t get carried away by lucrative deals, it could be sextortion trap

Hyderabad: Police have registered a case after a woman became a victim of a sextortion racket in Hyderabad.

The woman was promised a prize in a fake giveaway only to be extorted money and coerced into sending her nude photos.

The incident took place earlier this month and was reported at Panjagutta police station on Tuesday.

Panjagutta police said they received a complaint from a woman who was a victim of sextortion.

The victim told the police that she came across a YouTube channel `Sarah Grace’, which featured a video of a lady conducting a giveaway.

The victim left a comment on the video and was contacted by the lady. She informed her that she had won a prize. The lady instructed the victim to contact her on Telegram and pick a number between 1 and 8. The victim chose two numbers, which turned out to be the winning ones. She got an iPhone 13 pro and a MacBook pro and was told to pay Rs. 2,000 to the delivery boy.

The victim followed the instructions and paid the money via Google Pay, using her brother's account. However, she was then asked to pay more money to the delivery boy. When she refused, she was threatened with dire consequences. The blackmailers demanded that she send them nude photos of herself, which she did, out of fear. They then demanded more money. When she couldn't pay, they threatened to upload her photos on social media and send them to her family members.

The victim, who is in her mid-20s and works in a private firm, said she was traumatized by the incident and had been suffering from depression and anxiety ever since. She urged the police to take swift action against the culprits and bring them to justice.

Panjagutta police have registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. They have also issued a warning to the public to be cautious while participating in online giveaways and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.