Overview
- Azim Ahmed, 28, a Jabalpur-based software engineer who runs 96 Instagram accounts with roughly 57 million followers through Whoopy Digital, filed a complaint after a year of threats.
- Cybercriminals issued fake copyright and content strikes, warning of account bans and follower loss to coerce payments.
- The extortion occurred through multiple transfers totaling Rs 50 lakh, with an initial caller from Pune seeking Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 to remove purported strikes.
- The Jabalpur Cyber Cell has registered a case and is investigating, while the perpetrators have not yet been identified or arrested.
- Cyber cell in-charge Neeraj Negi says fraudsters exploited automated systems that can trigger suspensions, and police are coordinating with Instagram to trace the scheme and have urged creators to report suspicious approaches.