A man was allegedly cheated out of Rs 38 lakh in a social media honeytrap after accepting a Facebook friend request from a profile using a woman’s name, according to police. The two began communicating regularly, and the woman allegedly gained his trust before asking him for money for household expenses.
Police said the victim transferred money to the woman. Their conversations later turned intimate, and the fraudster allegedly accused him of sexual harassment. She then threatened him with criminal cases and serious consequences unless he paid money.
Another person reportedly contacted the victim, claiming to be the woman’s relative. The person allegedly added to the pressure, and the scammers continued making threats until they had extracted Rs 38 lakh, police said.
Investigators said cybercriminals may use fake social media profiles with women’s names and photographs to target people, including older men. After starting friendly or intimate conversations, they may ask for money for household expenses, medical emergencies or gifts.
In some cases, scammers allegedly use intimate chats to blackmail victims. They may threaten to accuse them of sexually exploiting or harassing a minor, then impersonate police officers and demand money to “settle” the case.
Hyderabad Cyber Crimes Police urged people, particularly senior citizens, to avoid accepting friend requests from unknown profiles and to refrain from sharing personal details or having intimate conversations with strangers. Police do not demand money by phone to settle criminal cases, they said. Anyone facing such threats should end the call or chat and report them.
Police also urged families to discuss cyber fraud with older relatives and help them feel comfortable reporting incidents. Suspected victims can call 1930 or file a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The case was registered as Crime No. 1104/2025 under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 308(2), 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
