Video Call Scams: How Cybercriminals Are Preying on Victims

Cybercrime incidents, especially honey traps, are on the rise, with many victims falling prey to blackmail and extortion. Hundreds of people are being targeted by cyber fraudsters every year, and the recent incident involving Nakirekal MLA Vemula Veeresham has highlighted the severity of the issue.

The criminals, who use honey traps to extort money, often initiate video calls with nude girls. If the victim answers the call, they take screenshots and begin blackmailing the person. The MLA was recently targeted in a similar fashion. On Tuesday night, Veeresham received a video call from an unknown number showing a nude girl. When he immediately cut the call, the criminals sent a screenshot of the call to the MLA and threatened to share it with party leaders and activists unless he paid a sum of money. Veeresham reported the incident to the police, making it public.

These honey traps typically involve cyber fraudsters making video calls from unknown numbers, threatening to post the screenshots or videos on social media, or send them to the victim’s family and friends unless the victim pays a ransom. However, many victims are hesitant to file police complaints due to fear of embarrassment and damage to their reputation. As a result, they end up paying the criminals to avoid humiliation.

According to police reports, around 100 such incidents were recorded in the past year, but the victims remain reluctant to report the crimes. In addition to honey traps, there have been growing cases of fraud where criminals promise high profits for small investments. Some victims fall for these scams when they click on APK files, which hack their phones and steal money from their accounts.

To combat these issues, MLA Veeresham has urged people to be more cautious and report cybercrime incidents. He has filed a complaint with the police to raise awareness about the dangers of cybercrime, honey traps, and video call scams. Veeresham emphasized the importance of reporting such incidents without fear of threats from criminals.

Cyber Crime DSP Lakshminarayana also advised people to be vigilant when receiving video calls from unknown numbers. He suggested that individuals avoid answering calls from unknown sources and recommended installing two-step security, locking social media profiles, and protecting their accounts to prevent criminals from accessing their information.

Through greater awareness and vigilance, authorities hope to reduce the number of such incidents and help protect the public from cybercrime.