A bank manager and police in Hyderabad intervened to stop a retired employee from transferring another Rs 2 lakh to fraudsters who had allegedly blackmailed him using a recorded personal video call, after he had already lost nearly Rs 18 lakh.
The victim, a resident of AS Rao Nagar in Kushaiguda, had reportedly been targeted in a nude video call scam. The fraudsters allegedly recorded the personal call and threatened to upload the footage on social media, prompting the retiree to transfer money out of fear of public humiliation, according to Telangana Today.
The intervention took place when the victim recently visited his bank to make another payment. The branch manager reportedly noticed that the transaction appeared suspicious and alerted the police rather than allowing it to proceed without scrutiny.
Police officials reached the bank and explained to the victim that he had been targeted by cybercriminals. Their intervention stopped the proposed transfer and helped protect the remaining Rs 80 lakh in the victim’s account, the report said.
The incident highlights how sextortion scams can exploit the fear of social embarrassment to pressure victims into repeatedly transferring money. In this case, the fraud continued after the victim had already paid nearly Rs 18 lakh, with the alleged offenders seeking an additional Rs 2 lakh.
Cybercrime authorities advised people facing similar threats not to panic or make payments. They asked victims to preserve evidence such as call records and transaction details and report the matter to the police immediately.
The case also underlines the role bank staff can play in identifying potentially fraudulent transactions, particularly when customers attempt unusual or repeated transfers under apparent pressure. The police intervention at the branch prevented the latest payment and brought the alleged scam to the authorities’ attention.
