Last updated on September 12, 2023

Nalika was a married lady and was very busy with work and her little daughter who just turned 5 years. She used to wake up early morning, prepare meals and then take her daughter to her parent’s house. Afterwards she ran to her workplace. Usually in the evening her husband picked her daughter and Nalika arrived home before them. This was the only time left for her to wind down. So, during her only free time she listened to songs, watched the TV for a while or scrolled through her Facebook profile and connected with friends via Messenger.

Nalika used to follow pages about handcraft and one day she got a group request on Messenger which looked like a group for handcraft lovers. She immediately joined that group. That night Nalika saw a missed call from a participant in that group. She didn’t care much about it as she was busy preparing dinner.

Again when she was going to bed, she got a call from this group member. This time she picked it and an unknown person was on the other side.

Unknown person: Hey, how are you?

Nalika: Who are you?

Unknown person: Let’s switch to a video call.

Nalika: But who are you?

The unknown person hung up the call…

Nalika went for a party with her husband the following day. That night she got a call from the same person again and Nalika answered.

Unknown person: Hey can you switch on the video; I need to tell you something important.

Nalika wondered and switched on the video at last.

Unknown person: I have some pictures of you and your ex-boyfriend, I’m going to publish them everywhere.

Listening to this, Nalika got very scared and this person felt that she was scared. She didn’t want her husband to know anything about her ex-boyfriend or the old secret affair.

Unknown person: If you don’t want me to publish them, you have to do this.

Nalika was trembling by that time.

Unknown person: I will call you again very soon and you have to turn on the video, keep the phone somewhere focusing you and the husband, then you have to do intimate activities with him. But you can’t tell him about this okay?? Simply, he shouldn’t know that your sexual activity is being watched by me.

Nalika didn’t have any option other than agreeing with this nasty man’s request.

Nalika: ok

Nalika did what that nasty person asked for and on the other side of the video call without Nalika knowing, this person recorded everything.

Nalika thought that this nasty person would stop from there, so she just forgot everything and got ready for work in the next morning. While she was travelling to office, she got a call from this unknown person again.

Unknown person: Hey, how are you? I really like your clip.

Nalika: Clip means?

Unknown person: Haa Haa, I recorded everything, and I’m watching it most of the time.

Nalika: You pervert.

Unknown person: Yes yes that’s right, I’m a pervert and I will publish this everywhere very soon.

Nalika was trembling with fear and she just put her phone away. She went to work and couldn’t concentrate on anything. She just stayed blank doing nothing. Her lady boss realized this and talked to her. Nalika told her everything and her boss recalled about Hithawathi which she had heard through a radio program. Nalika’s boss asked her to call Hithawathi immediately for advice. Nalika called Hithawathi and her voice was very shaky. She slowly told Hithawathi what happened to her. Hithawathi asked Nalika to report and block the profile which blackmailed her and also told her to avoid any contacts with the blackmailer. Furthermore, she was asked to lodge a complaint at CID – Social Media Unit if she wished to find out and punish (to take legal action against) the person behind this. Ultimately She thanked Hithawathi for listening to her and helping her to be calm with correct guidance.

Precaution tips:

  • Do not add yourself to random groups without properly finding details about them (group admin, subjects talked in them, other members etc.)
  • Do not have conversations trying to negotiate with blackmailers in order to satisfy their requests
  • Seek immediate advice from a trusted party or legal body no matter how embarrassing the situation is (before things get worse).
  • If blackmailers approach to you via a social media platform, report and block their profiles.
  • Cybercriminal complaints that are clearly mentioned with relevant evidence (correct links, screenshots, etc.) can be handed over to the CID, or sent to “The Director, Criminal Investigation Department, Colombo 01” by registered post. Additionally, you have the option of emailing the same via dir.ccid@police.gov.lk /report@cid.police.gov.lk