Pune Nurse’s Nightmare: Extortion Plot Unravels After Social Media Romance Scam
Pune, 7th January 2024: A 33-year-old nurse from Pune found herself ensnared in an extortion scheme after accepting a friend request on social media. The nurse, who works at a private hospital and is currently separated from her husband, filed a complaint with the Chaturshringi Police Station, leading to the registration of a case under the Information Technology Act against the cybercriminals involved.
According to the complaint, the cyber thief, masquerading under the name Amanpreet Singh, posed as a high-ranking official working in a London-based company. Claiming to be on the verge of returning to India, Singh enticed the nurse into a false narrative of romance, ultimately leading to marriage propositions. The imposter promised an expensive gift from abroad, allegedly costing Rs 27,000 for gift boxes.
Unbeknownst to the nurse, this was a ploy to extort money. Singh, revealing his true malicious intent, produced an audio recording of their conversations. He then resorted to threatening the nurse, demanding a ransom under the threat of publicizing the audiotape on various social media platforms.
Fearing the potential consequences of the tape being circulated, the nurse promptly reported the incident to the police. The case has now been assigned to Crime Branch Police Inspector Ankush Chintaman for investigation.
The nurse’s vulnerability was exploited as the cybercriminal manipulated social media to establish a connection. The false promises of love, marriage, and the allure of an extravagant gift set the stage for a sinister plan to extort money. With the added threat of public humiliation through the release of an audio tape, the nurse found herself trapped in a harrowing situation.
Inspector Ankush Chintaman of Chaturshringi Police Station is investigating the matter further.
