Online trap Part - 1

Vikram sat at his desk, stacks of documents from the recent poison shop case neatly piled in front of him. The office was quieter than usual, a calm after the storm of the recent high-profile investigation. He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the fatigue that lingered after weeks of chasing leads. Just as he was about to file away the last set of papers, a voice broke through the silence.

"Sir... please help me."

Vikram turned his head slightly, catching sight of a young man standing in front of Officer Lala's desk. He looked disheveled, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and desperation. Vikram watched as Lala gestured for the man to sit down, his voice calm and measured.

"What seems to be the problem?" Lala asked, his tone suggesting he had dealt with this kind of case before.

The man—Sanjay, Vikram caught the name—fidgeted with the edge of his shirt before he spoke. "Sir, I... I've been financially attacked. I don't know what to do."

Lala raised an eyebrow. "Financially attacked? What do you mean, exactly?"

Sanjay took a deep breath and launched into his story. "I'm an artist. I've just started posting my work online... on social media. You know, like so many others do. At first, it was great—I was getting attention, compliments. Then one day, I got a message from someone who said they loved my work and wanted to help me take it further."

"Sounds promising," Lala remarked, though there was a hint of skepticism in his voice. "So what happened next?"

Sanjay ran a hand through his hair, his frustration clear. "At first, it did seem promising. The person, they told me about a contract that I needed to sign to be a part of their project. They asked for fifty thousand rupees as an 'initial investment,' to show that I was serious about the opportunity."

Lala frowned. "And you paid the money?"

"I did," Sanjay said, nodding slowly. "I thought it was a real opportunity. I signed the contract and transferred the money. But then... everything went wrong."

"What went wrong?" Vikram had edged closer, listening quietly, but now he stepped forward, intrigued by the direction the story was taking.

Sanjay looked up at Vikram, his expression filled with dread. "I started receiving legal letters—summonses from the court. They were saying I had breached the terms of the contract and that I owed fifty lakh rupees in damages for failing to complete the project on time. Fifty lakh!" His voice cracked with panic. "Sir, I don't even have fifty thousand anymore, let alone fifty lakh. I didn't know this would happen. I swear I thought it was legitimate."

Lala glanced at Vikram, his eyes narrowing. "This is the fourth case like this we've had this week."

Vikram nodded, stepping in fully now. "Another online scam," he muttered, then turned to Sanjay. "You're not the only one. There are many who've fallen into these traps. These scammers use the promise of opportunity to steal from unsuspecting people. They take advantage of your trust."

Sanjay's shoulders sagged with relief, though his eyes remained filled with worry. "Sir, what can I do? I can't pay them. I didn't even know it was a scam until the court notice arrived."

Vikram placed a reassuring hand on Sanjay's shoulder. "We'll help you. But first, we need all the details. Give us every piece of communication you had with this so-called company—emails, messages, receipts, everything."

Sanjay fumbled with his phone, opening the messages and handing it over to Lala. "This is all of it. I didn't delete anything."

Lala took the phone, scanning the messages quickly. "It's the same pattern," he murmured. "They lure the victim in with false promises, get them to sign a bogus contract, and then hit them with legal threats to extort money. It's a well-organized operation."

Vikram looked at Lala, then back at Sanjay. "You're not alone, Sanjay. These people are professionals, and they're targeting vulnerable individuals like you. But we're going to get to the bottom of this. We've already opened a broader investigation into these types of scams. We'll add your case to it."

Tears welled in Sanjay's eyes again, this time with a mixture of relief and exhaustion. "Thank you, sir. I don't know what I would've done without your help. I've been living in fear of losing everything."

"Don't worry about the fifty lakh right now," Vikram said firmly. "We'll make sure the court understands that this was a scam. You won't lose a single rupee more to these people. Go home and rest."

Lala stood up, giving Sanjay a small nod. "You've done the right thing by coming to us. We'll keep you informed as the investigation progresses."

Sanjay stood shakily, his relief palpable. "Thank you, thank you so much," he whispered, wiping his eyes as he gathered his things.

As he made his way out of the station, Vikram exchanged a glance with Lala. "This is getting out of hand," Vikram said quietly. "We need to dig deeper into these online scams. If Sanjay's case is anything to go by, they're getting bolder."

Lala nodded. "I'll start cross-referencing the other reports we've received. It's about time we shut these scammers down for good."

Vikram watched as Sanjay disappeared through the station doors, his mind already working on the next steps. The poison case just had ended, but now a new challenge had emerged. And as always, he was ready to take it on.

Vikram sat back in his chair, his gaze lingering on the ceiling as he weighed the problem at hand. Finding someone online—especially someone running a sophisticated scam—was a far cry from the straightforward investigations he was used to. No chase through the streets, no physical clues to follow. This was an invisible battlefield, one where the enemy could hide behind layers of fake accounts, VPNs, and anonymity. It frustrated him to no end.

Lala, who was flipping through the collected evidence, glanced at Vikram's pensive expression. "I know that look," Lala said with a half-smile. "You're thinking how we're going to catch someone we can't see."

"Exactly," Vikram replied, drumming his fingers on the desk. "Finding someone in the real world is one thing. You can look for patterns, talk to people, track movements. But online? These people hide behind screens, and with the right tools, they can disappear into thin air."

Lala nodded slowly. "We need someone who knows the digital landscape. Someone who can think like them and track their movements online. Maybe... maybe someone who's played in those same shadows."

Vikram raised an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting? We hire a hacker?"

Lala leaned back, folding his arms. "Not a criminal, obviously. But there are people who operate on the edge—ethical hackers, journalists, media specialists who've spent their careers uncovering things hidden online. We need someone who understands how to navigate the underworld of the internet. Someone who can blend into that environment and pull out the threads."

Vikram thought for a moment, his mind flicking through the faces of people he had worked with over the years. Then one name surfaced. A name he hadn't thought about in a while.

"Priya."

Lala's brow furrowed. "Priya? The journalist?"

"She's more than a journalist," Vikram said, sitting up. "She's a media specialist. One of the sharpest minds I've met when it comes to online investigations. She's worked undercover for years, infiltrating online criminal networks, exposing scams, corruption, all kinds of things. She has a way of digging deep and finding things no one else can."

Lala rubbed his chin. "You think she'll help us?"

Vikram nodded. "I think she might. But reaching her won't be easy. She's been off the grid for a while, ever since her last big exposé. If she's still around, though, she'll be the one we need."

---

Later that afternoon, Vikram made his way to a small café in an unassuming part of the city. It was one of those places that didn't advertise itself, frequented only by those who knew about it. Vikram remembered Priya mentioning it once during one of their conversations years ago. If she was still in the city, this was the place to find her.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside. The air was thick with the scent of brewing coffee, and the low murmur of quiet conversations filled the space. Vikram scanned the tables, and his eyes landed on a woman in the corner, dressed in a simple jacket, her hair pulled back in a loose bun. She was typing furiously on a laptop, the screen glowing with multiple tabs open.

Vikram approached cautiously, and as he drew closer, she looked up. Her sharp brown eyes met his, and she smiled, a flicker of recognition crossing her face.

"Vikram Mehra," Priya said, leaning back in her chair. "It's been a while."

"It has," Vikram replied, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her. "I wasn't sure you'd still be in town."

"I'm in and out," she said with a shrug. "What brings you here? Not just a social call, I'm guessing."

Vikram smiled briefly before getting straight to the point. "I need your help, Priya. There's a case—an online scam. A pretty big one. People are being tricked into signing fake contracts and then getting hit with massive fines. We've had multiple reports, and it's growing."

Priya raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. "Scams like that are everywhere, Vikram. What makes this one special?"

"It's not just a simple scam," Vikram said, his voice lowering. "The people behind it are smart. They know how to cover their tracks. I've been investigating field cases for years, but this... this is different. I need someone who knows how to navigate the digital world, someone who can't be caught by the very people we're hunting."

Priya studied him for a long moment, then closed her laptop. "You want me to help track them down."

Vikram nodded. "I know you've done similar work before. You've exposed networks of scammers and fraudsters. You understand how these people think. I don't know anyone better suited for this."

Priya leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "And what makes you think I'm still in that game? After the last time, I swore off doing undercover work."

Vikram sighed. "I know it's a lot to ask, Priya. But people are getting hurt. These scammers are going after people who are already vulnerable—artists, freelancers, small business owners. They're taking advantage of them, ruining their lives. We need to stop them before it gets worse."

Priya tapped her fingers on the table, thinking. Finally, she spoke. "If I do this, Vikram, I'll need access to everything. I'll need your cooperation, your team's cooperation. And I can't promise results right away. These things take time."

"Whatever you need, you'll have it," Vikram said without hesitation. "I trust you."

Priya stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright. I'll help. But you'll need to be ready for some uncomfortable truths, Vikram. These scams aren't run by a few people sitting in a dark room. It's an entire ecosystem of criminals, and once you start pulling at the threads, you won't like what you find."

"I'm ready," Vikram said firmly. "We've already seen the damage they can do. I'm not letting them destroy more lives."

Priya stood, gathering her things. "Then let's get started. I'll need to look at the communication logs, the court notices, and any other data you have. I'll be in touch when I have something."

As Vikram watched her leave the café, a sense of hope flickered within him. The case had just taken a new turn, and with Priya's help, he was confident they would find the people responsible for these scams.

But he knew Priya was right. The digital world was vast and full of shadows. And as they stepped into that world, they might uncover more than they had bargained for.