Cybercriminals use loan apps to trick users with phony phone numbers and threats to release morphed nudes.

A Mumbai resident, Isaki Rajan Thevar, was arrested by the Pimpri Chinchwad Cyber Crime Police after being found to have links to international operatives based in Singapore and China. The accused used coercive tactics such as harassing calls from Pakistani numbers and threats to circulate morphed nude images to contacts. The complainant took a personal loan of Rs 5,000 and received dozens of calls demanding repayment with interest. The caller threatened him to transfer Rs 9,000 as part of the loan repayment and demanded more money. The caller then asked the complainant to pay Rs 15,000 more and threatened to release his morphed nude images to people in his contact list.

The accused gained access to the complainant’s contacts and photos through the loan app he downloaded, which he used to extort money from victims. When the complainant refused to pay, morphed nude photos were sent to people in his contact list. The suspect was later arrested and arrested. An investigation team found that the app had been developed and operated by some suspects in Mumbai. The arrested suspect was found to be in contact with handlers from Singapore and China and was creating and operating these fake loan apps at the behest of these international handlers.