Instagram strike, blackmailing shock Jabalpur influencer:Cyber fraudsters extort ₹50 lakh; threatens to delete accounts with two million followers from platform

A 28-year-old Instagram creator and software engineer, Azeem Ahmad, fell victim to an elaborate cyber-blackmail scam in Jabalpur.
Posing as copyright enforcers, cybercriminals threatened to issue “strikes” on his Instagram pages, claiming his content violated their rights. Terrified of losing his massive follower base, Azeem ended up paying Rs 50 lakh to the scammers. Despite filing a complaint with the cybercrime cell, police officials admit they have been unable to take effective action so far due to the complexity and anonymity of online transactions. From one page to 96 accounts with 57 million followers Azeem first created his Instagram page in 2017, and during the COVID-19 lockdown, his page quickly gained popularity, crossing two million followers by 2021. Motivated by this success, he went on to create over 96 accounts under the brand School Day, collectively amassing 57 million followers. Along with friends, Azeem launched a digital advertising company named WHOOPY Digital, which runs promotional campaigns for brands such as Netflix, Amazon, Lenskart, and Blinkit. His agency typically charges between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000 per promotion post — earning him a significant monthly income. First strike in 2022 cost him 15 lakh In March 2022, Azeem received a suspicious email claiming that a video he uploaded was copyrighted material. Initially dismissing the message as spam, he was soon hit with four consecutive “strikes” on one of his pages with over two million followers — leading to its suspension. To restore the account, Azeem had to contact Instagram support and invest between Rs 10 and 15 lakh. Though he managed to recover the page, the incident marked the beginning of an ongoing nightmare. Fake copyright claims and threats continue Over the past year, cybercriminals have continued targeting Azeem with fake copyright complaints. Each time, they warn that repeated strikes could lead to permanent account deletion. “I’ve already paid several lakhs to these fraudsters, yet they keep threatening to delete my accounts,” Azeem said. “They claim the content we post for brand promotions belongs to them.” Ads and brand promotions under attack Azeem explained that his business model is straightforward — brands find WHOOPY Digital through Google searches and approach them for paid promotions. However, fraudsters now track these posts and send messages claiming ownership of the videos, thereby manipulating Instagram’s automated systems to trigger strikes. They then contact Azeem, offering to “remove” the strikes for a fee ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per post. Phone calls, threats, and UPI payments Even while Azeem was at the cyber police station lodging his complaint, he received a call from a man who identified himself as a “mediator from Pune.” The caller demanded a payment of Rs 25,000–Rs 30,000 to lift the latest strike. The fraudsters have received more than Rs 50 lakh from Azeem, transferred via UPI and dollar transactions over time. How the scam works Cyber experts note that Instagram permanently deletes any account receiving more than four strikes, making creators vulnerable to extortion. The scammers exploit this fear by sending fake notices, then charging hefty sums to “undo” the damage. Despite police involvement, Azeem’s ordeal highlights the growing sophistication of social media-based blackmail and the urgent need for stronger cyber protection mechanisms for digital creators.