Hyderabad: A retired employee was allegedly duped of Rs 38 lakh in a honeytrap after a fraudster using a fake woman’s Facebook profile threatened him with false sexual harassment charges.
A 26-year-old man from Palakollu in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district was arrested in connection with the case, with police seizing two mobile phones from him.
The 70-year-old victim lodged a complaint with Hyderabad Cyber Crimes police on June 17, 2025, after falling victim to the fraud. According to investigators, the retiree accepted a Facebook friend request from a fake profile operating under a woman’s name, after which the two began chatting regularly.
Once the fraudster gained his trust, ‘she’ asked for financial help under the guise of covering household expenses, prompting the victim to transfer the funds.
The case was registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act as well as Sections 308(2) (extortion), 318(4) (cheating), and 319(2) (cheating by personation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Hyderabad Cyber Crimes Police issued a warning, advising the public, especially senior citizens, to stay cautious online.
Officials urged citizens not to accept friend requests from strangers, share personal details, or engage in intimate chats. Police emphasised that legitimate officers never ask for money over the phone to clear criminal cases, and anyone making such demands is a scammer. Victims or targets of these extortion threats should hang up immediately and report the incident to authorities.
