A shocking case of cyber fraud and sextortion has emerged from the Thane district of Maharashtra, where a retired government engineer, aged 62, was defrauded of approximately 3.95 crores. The perpetrators, including a woman and her accomplices, devised a calculated scheme to ensnare the victim emotionally before initiating blackmail. The entire operation began on July 17, 2025, when the victim received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller, posing as a woman, steadily built rapport with the victim over several weeks, ultimately ensnaring him with emotional appeals and false claims of affection.

The con involved luring the victim into a fraudulent international trading scheme, presented as a high-profit venture facilitated through the woman’s alleged uncle in the U.S. Taking advantage of the victim's trust, she directed him to open a trading account via a dubious link, leading him to make 25 transactions across various bank accounts in the ensuing seven months. Tempted by the prospect of heavy profits, the victim even took out loans to invest more, becoming increasingly ensnared in a web of deceit.

As the months progressed, the victim was manipulated into making significant payouts under the guise of trading profits, only to discover later that he had been defrauded. The case highlights the dangers of online scams, especially targeting vulnerable individuals, and raises awareness about the psychological tactics employed by con artists to exploit their victims, further emphasizing the need for vigilance in digital interactions.