A harrowing encounter with WhatsApp Scamster; tips to protect yourself from video call scams

Cyber scams are increasing in India, causing people to lose a lot of money to online fraudsters. One of troubling trends is when scammers trick people with promises of earning extra money through part-time jobs like watching YouTube videos or rating movies.

The scamsters use tactics like phone calls or WhatsApp to deceive people.

A recent case in Gurugram has exposed the disturbing nature of video call scams which can have serious psychological and financial effects on people.

Shocking Video Call Incident

According to The Indian Express, a 25-year-old man in Gurugram experienced a shocking video call on WhatsApp that caused him to faint from shock.

The man received the call while he was at his father's office, and to his surprise, he saw a woman undressing on the screen.

Disturbed by the explicit content, he quickly ended the call.

Unfortunately, the situation took a turn for the worse when the woman started sending explicit photos and blackmailing him, threatening to share screenshots of the video call on social media platforms.

The victim's father was understandably worried about the potential damage to his son's reputation and the risk of extortion.

Consequently, the victim decided to file a police complaint, as per the report from the Indian Express.

The authorities registered a case against unidentified individuals under relevant sections of the IT Act and IPC.

This incident has highlighted the increasing occurrence of video call scams, prompting cybercrime authorities to raise awareness and advise the public to be cautious and vigilant against these extortion schemes.

Protecting Yourself from Video Call Scams

To stay safe from video call scams, follow these precautions:

1. Avoid accepting calls from unfamiliar or untrusted individuals, especially from unknown or international numbers.
2. Regularly modify privacy settings on social media platforms to limit access to your personal information and make it harder for scammers to target you.
3. Exercise caution and avoid sharing personal information if you receive unexpected video calls or messages from unknown numbers or contacts; end the call if anything seems suspicious.
4. Report any encounters with scammers to local law enforcement or cybercrime units, and block their contact to prevent further communication and potential harassment.