Lucknow: A cybercrime incident in Lucknow has left a doctor defrauded of nearly ₹2.90 lakh after criminals impersonated police officers and threatened to leak an alleged obscene video.
Dr. Haridas Bharati, a resident of Indira Nagar, Sector-16, received a call on December 24 from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be from the police department and alleged that they possessed an objectionable video of the doctor. The caller threatened that the video would be made public and legal action would follow unless immediate contact was made.
Extortion Through Fear and Threats
Under pressure and fearing social stigma, Dr. Bharati contacted a second number provided by the caller. The impostor then demanded money to “settle” the matter. On the same day, the doctor was coerced into transferring ₹1,34,500 online. Two days later, on December 26, another ₹1 lakh was transferred to a different account. In a separate call, another impostor claiming to be a police officer extorted an additional ₹55,000.
Total Loss: ₹2.90 Lakh
In total, the cybercriminals siphoned off approximately ₹2,90,000 in multiple transactions. Realizing the deception, Dr. Bharati lodged an online complaint with the cybercrime helpline.
Police Action and Advisory
Authorities are investigating the case, tracking the call details and bank accounts to identify the culprits. The police have urged citizens not to fall prey to unknown callers claiming to be police or government officials and to immediately report such incidents to the relevant authorities.
