Sextortion Fraud
1. What is Sextortion Fraud?
Sextortion = Sexual + Extortion
A form of cybercrime in which victims are manipulated or coerced into sharing explicit content (images/videos) and are then blackmailed under threat of exposure on social media or to family/friends unless they pay money or perform further acts.
It involves:
- Fake identities (using deepfakes, edited profiles)
- Grooming psychology (slow manipulation and control)
- Technical exploitation (recorded video calls, stolen data)
- Threat tactics (exposure threats, impersonation of law enforcement)
⚙️ 2. How Sextortion Works (Detailed Lifecycle)
| Phase | Description | Tools/Methods |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Baiting/Hooking | Attractive profile adds victim on social platforms | Fake profiles, bot accounts, AI-generated images |
| 2. Emotional Grooming | Engages in casual talk → flirty talk → adult talk | NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming), social engineering |
| 3. Manipulative Video Call | Pushes for private calls, undressing, explicit acts | Uses pre-recorded or deepfake videos; screen recorders |
| 4. Secret Recording | Entire act is recorded without the victim’s knowledge | OBS Studio, phone recorders, screen-capture software |
| 5. Threat Initiation | Victim gets blackmail message: “Pay or I leak your video” | Threats sent via WhatsApp/SMS/Facebook with screenshot |
| 6. Escalation | Demand ₹1,000–₹5,00,000 in phases (“delete fee,” “privacy tax”) | Demands money via UPI, crypto, Paytm, or gift cards |
| 7. Impersonation Threats | Fake Police/Cyber Cell officer contacts victim | Spoofed numbers, fake FIR PDFs, intimidating IPC/IT Act sections |
| 8. Vanishing | After multiple payments or refusal, scammer vanishes | Deletes account, removes SIM, uses burner phone |
🧠 3. Psychological Traps Used by Scammers
| Tactic | Description |
|---|---|
| Urgency | “Pay in 1 hour or we post it on YouTube.” |
| Shame Manipulation | “Your family will hate you. Save your respect.” |
| Social Engineering | Gains victim’s city, school, parent names from Facebook to threaten exposure |
| Hope Trap | “Pay now, we will delete permanently” |
| Authority Spoofing | Pretend to be cyber police, show IPC sections |
🧪 4. Technical Tools Used by Criminals
| Purpose | Tool/Method Used |
|---|---|
| Fake Profile Creation | AI-generated images (e.g., ThisPersonDoesNotExist) |
| Video Manipulation | Deepfake videos, pre-recorded cam girl/boy loops |
| Recording | OBS Studio, AZ Screen Recorder, iPhone Screen Recorder |
| Contact Harvesting | Social media scraping, Facebook Graph API abuse |
| Spoofing Police ID | Photoshop, MS Word + fake logos |
| Payment Tracing Avoidance | Multiple UPI IDs, crypto wallets, mules |
| Fake Threats | Auto-generated FIR PDFs with IPC/IT Act references |
⚖️ 5. Applicable Indian Laws (Advanced Reference)
| Section | Law | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| 354A/B/C/D | IPC | Sexual harassment, stalking, capturing private acts |
| 292/293 | IPC | Circulation of obscene material |
| 384 | IPC | Extortion |
| 420 | IPC | Cheating |
| 509 | IPC | Outraging modesty |
| 66C | IT Act | Identity theft |
| 66E | IT Act | Violation of privacy |
| 67/67A | IT Act | Publishing/leaking sexually explicit content |
🚔 Note: Courts and Police can take action suo moto for leaking sexually explicit content even without FIR by victim, if informed.
🧑💻 6. Investigation & Tracing Methods
| Investigation Step | Tool/Method |
|---|---|
| IP Trace | Collect from emails, messages, domain logs |
| IMEI/Device Link | UPI fraud tracking with bank FIR |
| Reverse Image Search | To verify fake profile (via Google, TinEye) |
| Telegram Group Source | Check for scammer channels via @username search |
| Fake FIR Check | Fonts, signature mismatch, no GD/FIR number |
| Social Graph Analysis | To identify scam rings using similar UPI IDs |
| Fake Police Caller Verification | Check from official state cyber cell numbers |
📌 7. What To Do Immediately (Victim Action Plan)
✅ Step-by-Step Emergency Response
- Do Not Pay – Paying once encourages more threats.
- Block & Record – Block all accounts; take screenshots and screen recordings of:
- Chat logs
- Video calls
- Threat messages
- Payment demand messages
- Report Immediately
- https://www.cybercrime.gov.in
- Dial 1930 (National Cyber Helpline)
- Go to local police station and demand FIR (You have legal rights)
- Preserve all Digital Evidence:
- Number, links, account name, payment IDs, emails
- Fake profiles (archive or save)
- Mental & Legal Support:
- Talk to family or a trusted person
- Consult cyber lawyer or expert if threats continue
🔐 8. Prevention Techniques (Advanced)
🔧 Digital Hygiene
- Do not share intimate content or engage in explicit video calls, even with trusted people.
- Disable camera permission for WhatsApp/Messenger.
- Use webcam cover/tape when not in use.
- Never share screenshots, IDs, or payment proofs unless verified.
🧠 Awareness Mindset
- No real person sends random sexual videos or asks to strip on video call.
- Legit jobs or relationships don’t begin on Telegram/Facebook DMs with such demands.
- Even if blackmailed, remember: reputation can be rebuilt, life cannot.
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