In the quiet corners of social media, an insidious trap was laid. One that didn’t start with a threat—but with concern.
Recently, on the 11th of April, I encountered a disturbing case that sheds light on a rising form of digital exploitation—emotionally manipulative sextortion scams. This wasn’t a story of reckless sharing or naïve trust. This was a calculated, premeditated act by scammers who use empathy and local familiarity as tools of deceit.
The victim, a close friend of mine, had no prior interaction with the scammer. It began with an innocent-looking message on Facebook—sent from what appeared to be a local Naga girl’s account, written in a tone of urgency and concern.
“Hello sister, I saw your photos being shared in a Facebook group. You should stop them… it’s bad. I thought you should know.”
Attached were screenshots of a Facebook group allegedly titled “Nagaland Group.” The images, vulgar and clearly manipulated, were crafted to humiliate. The captions? Cruel. The goal?
Obvious: instill panic.
And panick it did.
My friend, shaken and terrified, thanked the sender. That “concerned” stranger claimed her own sister had once been a victim of a similar situation and insisted they create a group chat to “solve the matter together.”
“It was this exact insistence on group coordination that felt off. The scammer had engineered a fake emergency and was now offering a fake lifeline.
We tried locating this “Nagaland Group” on Facebook, but nothing turned up—not under that name, not under any variant. Either the group didn’t exist, or it was hidden to avoid public scrutiny—possibly exclusive, invite-only, or fabricated altogether.
Digging deeper, another detail cracked the mask.
The fake Naga girl who warned my friend had also sent screenshots of the alleged abuser posting the images. And yet, in those screenshots, the one sharing the images wasn’t a girl—it was clearly a man’s profile.
So let’s recap the scam:
Step 1: Create a local-looking fake profile (in this case, a Naga girl) to avoid suspicion.
Step 2: Pretend to “discover” obscene, edited photos being circulated.
Step 3: Send doctored screenshots to terrify the target.
Step 4: Offer help and sympathy, eventually manipulating the victim into a private group where psychological pressure can intensify.
This wasn’t just blackmail. It was psychological warfare.
Fortunately, my friend didn’t pay them or share sensitive information. But many victims do. Fear, shame, and the instinct to “contain the damage” often lead people to comply—even when logic screams otherwise.
Lessons from the Abyss
Scammers are no longer just sending threats. They’re staging entire scenes, playing multiple roles, faking community membership, and gaining emotional leverage over their targets.
This experience is being shared with permission, anonymized to protect the individual, but laid bare to educate others. As part of our mission at NEXUSCIPHERGUARD INDIA, we are documenting such incidents to promote awareness and push back against this rising tide of cyber deception.
Here’s what to do if you or someone you know encounters something similar:
1. Don’t panic. That’s what they’re counting on.
2. Review your Facebook privacy settings: Privacy Checkup
3. Report any suspicious activity or hacking attempts here: Facebook Security Help
4. Do not engage further with the scammer. Block and report.
5. Reach out to a cybersecurity expert or someone you trust to assess the situation with a clear head.
Our final thoughts on this is that, In the digital world, not every “helper” has good intentions. Sometimes, the person warning you about the fire is the one who lit the match.
Stay vigilant. Stay kind. But above all—stay skeptical.
About the Author
Pangerkumzuk Longkumer is a cybersecurity professional, educator, and founder of NEXUSCIPHERGUARD INDIA—a cybersecurity firm dedicated to defending digital integrity through awareness, investigation, and training. With years of experience in cybercrime analysis and digital forensics, he is on a mission to make cybersecurity knowledge accessible to every individual, from classrooms to boardrooms. When he’s not tracing digital footprints, he’s out conducting seminars, building safer communities online, and exposing the dark tactics of modern-day scammers.