Sri Vijaya Puram, 9 May: What began as online conversations with seemingly genuine women on Facebook soon turned into a financial nightmare for several elderly and retired government employees in the islands. Behind the carefully crafted profiles, police say, was a 51-year-old man from Middle Point who allegedly operated a honey-trap cyber fraud racket that cheated victims of lakhs of rupees through emotional manipulation, fake emergencies and blackmail.
In one of the biggest frauds uncovered so far by the Cyber Crime Police Station in Sri Vijaya Puram, a victim allegedly lost ₹37.81 lakh over months of online interactions before finally approaching authorities.
Police have so far recovered around ₹16 lakh and refunded the amount to the victim after swiftly freezing the accused’s bank accounts during the investigation.
According to officials, the FIR in the case was registered on April 6, 2026, and the accused was arrested the very same day following technical surveillance and cyber tracking.
Investigators revealed that the accused, a 51-year-old married man and resident of Middle Point, allegedly created multiple fake Facebook accounts posing as women. Through these accounts, he reportedly targeted elderly persons and retired government servants, slowly building trust through regular conversations and emotional engagement.
Police said the accused allegedly used sympathy as his primary weapon. After establishing contact, he would reportedly claim to be facing serious medical emergencies or urgent personal crises and repeatedly ask victims for financial help.
Over time, victims allegedly transferred large sums of money believing they were helping someone in distress.
Investigators stated that in one major case, the victim continued sending money until he eventually exhausted his savings. Police alleged that when the payments stopped, the accused turned to blackmail.
Officials said nude photographs were allegedly used to threaten and pressure the victim into making more payments, pushing the case into a more serious criminal territory involving extortion and intimidation.
The victim later approached police, following which a formal cybercrime case was registered and a detailed investigation began.
Police revealed that the accused allegedly used not only his own bank account but also his wife’s account to receive money transferred by victims. However, investigators clarified that the woman had no knowledge of the fraudulent activities and was not involved in the crime.
The investigation further revealed that the accused had allegedly been carrying out similar cyber fraud operations since January 2025. Cybercrime teams reportedly first received inputs regarding suspicious activities in February 2026 and began digitally tracking the accused before finally zeroing in on him.
Officials credited the quick recovery of funds to immediate action taken after the complaint was filed. Police froze the linked bank accounts before the money could be fully withdrawn or moved across other accounts.
The recovery operation was led by Sub-Inspector Deva Raju along with Head Constable Bhupender Kumar Singh, Head Constable S. Neelkanteshwar Rao and Police Constable Santosh Talukdar.
Police confirmed that the accused has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
The case has sent shockwaves across the islands, particularly among senior citizens and retired employees who are increasingly becoming targets of cyber fraudsters using fake online identities and emotional traps.
Officials warned that cybercriminals are no longer relying only on fake lottery calls or OTP scams. Instead, many are now investing time in building emotional relationships online before exploiting victims financially.
Police have urged residents to remain cautious while interacting with strangers on social media, especially accounts that quickly seek emotional closeness or financial help.
Authorities also advised people not to share private photographs or sensitive personal information with unknown persons online, warning that such material is frequently misused for blackmail and extortion.
The Andaman and Nicobar Police have appealed to citizens to immediately report cybercrime incidents through the national cybercrime helpline number 1930 or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Officials stressed that quick reporting often makes the difference between losing money permanently and recovering at least part of the amount, as fraudulent transactions can sometimes be frozen before funds disappear completely.
Investigations are continuing to determine whether more victims may have been targeted through the same fake profiles and whether additional cases linked to the accused may surface in the coming days.
