The Cyber Crime Police arrested an engineering student, a resident of Paramakudi, on charges of threatening women on social media that he would post their morphed pictures on facebook.
Not knowing that they were being deceived, the victims gave the accused money to ensure that the photographs were not uploaded.
Superintendent of Police V. Varun Kumar had established a helpline number - 94899 19722 for the public, who can register their grievance and share any kinds of threats.
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The callers need not mention their identity and could be even on petty issues as well.
The facility evoked overwhelming response, with many callers expressing the mental agony they underwent in the hands of such tricksters.
The Cyber Crime wing team said that following a complaint, the SP directed them to register a case under IPC Sections 292A and 384 read with 66E and 67 of IT Act.
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The complaint was that a woman, who was on facebook, received (through the messenger box from a FB user) that he would post her photographs on facebook and tarnish her image.
Not knowing that she was being taken for a ride, the victim told her husband about the trauma she was undergoing due to the post. Immediately, when the man called the SP’s helpline, police tracked the facebook account and saw that the user ID was a resident of Paramakudi.
A team picked up the accused and identified him as Rohit, 19, son of Kannadasan. He was studying in a private engineering college in Coimbatore. He was picked up from his residence.
The confession statement, according to the police, revealed that the accused had four accounts on facebook. All were fake. He used them to threaten gullible women and demanded money, with which he lived a cozy life. After registering a case, the student was sent to judicial custody.
The digital evidence was important and had been recorded.
In another case, the Cyber Wing police arrested Sivakumar, 23, son of Balakrishnan of Pudumadam Uchipuli, Ramnad district. The complaint was that the accused had fake accounts on instagram giving an impression that the user was a woman.
After becoming familiar with women in the circuit, he would share the problems and thus become friendly with them. At one point, he would ask them to share their photographs. Later, he would threaten them to part with money to be deposited in a bank account failing which he would upload the pictures, which were in compromising positions.
Apprehending trouble, some of the victims had obliged by remitting the money. However, when a victim dialled to the helpline, the accused was tracked. From the details of the bank account, the police arrested him.
The SP said that public should be cautious on the social media circuit and avoid chatting or sharing photographs or any personal details with strangers.