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Cybercrooks Impersonate Women, Extort Cash
10 Mar
Summary
- Brothers used fake profiles and voice changers to scam victims.
- Accused threatened victims with AI-generated fake videos.
- Gang allegedly collected Rs 40 lakh over two years.
An inter-state cyber fraud racket has been busted by the Punjab Police's cyber crime division, involving brothers who impersonated women on social media to extort money. The arrested individuals, natives of Rajasthan, resided in Mohali and have been identified as Abhishek Bhargav, Aakash alias Aman, and Lucky.
Authorities recovered Rs 3.49 lakh in cash, foreign currency, multiple mobile phones, and a laptop. The accused employed fake social media profiles and voice-changing software to gain trust, particularly from female targets. They then threatened to circulate fabricated, AI-generated objectionable videos to extort funds.
Investigations revealed that the alleged kingpin, Aakash Bhargav, devised this modus operandi approximately two years prior to the arrest. The gang reportedly amassed around Rs 40 lakh through fraudulent activities over the past two years. Investigations are ongoing to identify further accomplices and victims.
Authorities are urging social media users to exercise caution against online impersonators and to avoid sharing personal details. Victims threatened with misuse of their information are advised to contact the cyber helpline 1930 or report on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
