​​​​​​​Bhubaneswar, April 9: Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting mobile users by falsely accusing them of watching pornographic content and threatening arrest. Posing as police officials during video calls, fraudsters use fake police setups and deepfake images of women to intimidate victims. They then extort money by warning of legal action and forcing victims to transfer funds to avoid arrest.

Teenagers and adults alike are falling prey to this growing cybercrime, commonly known as sextortion. Many victims hesitate to report such incidents due to social stigma, allowing scammers to continue their operations.

Authorities have clarified that while accessing child pornography is a punishable offence, fraudsters are misusing this fear to trap innocent users. They allegedly gather personal data through illegal means and use it to target individuals.

In a related trend, scammers are also circulating fake APK files in the name of RTO challan clearance and transport services. Users downloading these files risk losing sensitive data and money from their accounts.

Police have urged citizens to stay alert, avoid suspicious links or downloads, and report any such incidents immediately to prevent financial loss.