He said that there are many gangs in Rajasthan, Delhi, Jharkhand and West Bengal, who are blackmailing people through WhatsApp video calls through their accomplices in Bihar and extorting money from them. Nayyar Hasnain Khan said that these criminals use mobile SIM cards issued on fake and forged documents. That is why we have asked telecom service providers to book customers with SIMs issued on fake documents.
He said that we are in constant touch with senior officers of Delhi, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and West Bengal Police to identify and arrest active cybercriminals from there.
In most cases, cybercriminals chat on WhatsApp with the help of fake accounts. Usually target men. After sending some messages, the woman associated with the gang makes a video call to the victim. She starts undressing during the call. Thereafter, by sending the same recording, the criminals start extorting money from the victim. Failure to do so threatens to share videos and pictures on social media.
According to the police, cybercriminals send screenshots of videos to the victim. Money is demanded instead. Fraudsters make video calls to random numbers.
The Additional DG said that such cybercriminals are present in Nawada, Gaya, Nalanda, Jamui and Sheikhpura districts of Bihar, who are working as allies for interstate sextortion rackets operating from Rajasthan, Delhi, Jharkhand and West Bengal. He said that the district police is on high alert in these areas of Bihar. A search operation is being conducted there to nab active cybercriminals. He has requested the victims to lodge a complaint in the nearest police station. Claimed that there are a large number of such cases, but only 2-3 per cent of the victims are reaching the police.
Police has asked common citizens not to engage in video calls with people they do not know.