Beware! THIS new scam on WhatsApp can ruin your reputation: Here’s how to avoid cyber sextortion

WhatsApp has been in controversy for quite some time now due to its implementation of the much-talked about privacy policy which has raised eyebrows of many and it has become a debate in the public discourse.

However, the Facebook-owned platform has become a den for cybercriminals as many users have reported that they are receiving video calls on WhatsApp from unknown numbers and after the user receives the call, the screen shows a video of a nude girl, and then it gets suddenly disconnected. These conmen further send screenshots of the video along with text and ask for money in return.

According to a report in Medium, if a user, after knowing that he/she doesn’t recognize the phone number, deletes it, then also he/she is not spared. The next step of these scamsters includes sending the screen recording of the video call on Whatsapp through another unknown number and blackmail the victims by saying that they already possess the numbers of the relatives and family members and they will send it if they don’t receive the asked amount.

This is a typical case of online extortion or can also be termed as cyber sextortion. They also threaten to upload it on the internet and make it viral. 

That doesn’t stop there. These scamsters often use their good language skills to lay the trap for winning the trust of the WhatsApp user so that they can do sex chat on video call.

Besides that, they ask for a lumpsum amount from the victim which puts them in financial distress. Innocent people and also those who are less tech-savvy face the brunt of these malicious people and their money is being looted.

In order to avoid such scamsters from taking advantage of you, it is of utmost importance to stop befriending any unknown person via WhatsApp or taking any kind of calls from unknown numbers. Even if you take a video call, it is advisable to cover your face with a cloth or if you are exposed, just report the entire incident to the police without thinking twice.

People on other platforms like Facebook Messenger, Telegram, or Signal should also practice the same and must not entertain any unknown numbers or their requests.