Sri Lankan Student Falls Victim to Instagram Sextortion Scam in Bengaluru

A 24-year-old Sri Lankan student studying in Bengaluru has become the victim of an online sextortion scheme perpetrated by an unknown person who initially reached out through Instagram.

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Bengaluru:

Police reports indicate that the unidentified perpetrator first connected with the victim on Instagram, gradually building an online friendship before moving their conversations to WhatsApp.

According to the victim's statement, during their video calls, the perpetrator surreptitiously captured personal photos and private videos without the student's knowledge or permission. Subsequently, the blackmailer began demanding money, claiming they would delete the compromising content in exchange.

When the Sri Lankan national refused to comply with the demands, the blackmailer escalated the situation by threatening to distribute the videos to the victim's social circle and publish them across social media platforms.

Under severe pressure and fearing reputation damage, the student transferred Rs 36,000 to the extortionist. However, the harassment continued as the perpetrator demanded additional payments, threatening to release the videos online if more money wasn't provided.

The victim, experiencing significant mental anguish from the ongoing threats, has formally filed a complaint with local authorities.

Police have registered a case and launched a comprehensive investigation into the matter.