A dance tutor from Pune's Sinhagad Road has become the latest victim of a sophisticated online loan scam, losing Rs 2,500 to fraudsters who later threatened to morph her selfie into obscene videos and circulate them online. The incident, which occurred between Sunday and Tuesday, has prompted the filing of a formal First Information Report (FIR) with the Nanded City police station.
How the Online Loan Trap Was Set
The victim, a recently married woman seeking funds for personal expenses, was exploring loan options on a UPI application. Within minutes, she received a message offering a quick loan via a link. Senior Inspector Atul Bhosale of Nanded City police explained that the link led to a fake and fabricated loan application.
After downloading the app, she was prompted to complete a KYC (Know Your Customer) process. The victim complied, uploading a selfie and providing her personal details. Shortly after, the suspects contacted her directly.
Extortion and Threats Follow Initial Fraud
The fraudsters falsely claimed the woman had a pending loan balance of Rs 2,500 with them and demanded immediate payment. When she protested that she had never availed of any loan from them, the call turned threatening.
The criminals used the selfie she had uploaded and sent her morphed, obscene videos. They threatened to upload this fabricated content on various social media platforms if she did not pay. Fearing for her reputation, the victim transferred the Rs 2,500 to the fraudsters.
Police Investigation Underway
However, the harassment did not stop. The suspects demanded an additional Rs 1,000. At this point, the tutor decided to take action. She blocked all the suspicious phone numbers and approached the Pune cyber police with a complaint application on Wednesday.
Based on her complaint, a formal FIR was registered at the Nanded City police station on Wednesday afternoon. Senior Inspector Bhosale confirmed that an investigation is currently underway to track down the online fraudsters operating the scam loan application.
This case highlights the dangers of responding to unsolicited loan offers and sharing personal data, including selfies, with unverified digital platforms. Authorities advise citizens to only use official and reputable financial applications.
