Don’t fall prey! Police warn against responding to suspicious video calls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police have issued a warning to the public about answering video calls from unfamiliar numbers or unknown individuals, highlighting that such calls may be traps. In a Facebook post, they advised the public to be extremely cautious when receiving these types of calls.

According to the police, the person on the other end of the line may engage in obscene acts and record the screen while appearing alongside the victim. These videos can later be used for blackmail, with threats to circulate the images in exchange for money.

These calls are often made after a thorough analysis of social media contacts, enabling the scammers to send compromising visuals to the victim's friends and relatives, thereby increasing pressure to pay.

The police also provided guidance on how to stay safe. They urged people not to respond to video calls from strangers. If someone falls victim to such a scam, reporting it to the helpline number 1930 within the first hour — referred to as the "Golden Hour" — significantly increases the chance of recovering any lost money.