Viral claim of iBomma warning to Telangana police debunked

Hyderabad: Cybercrime authorities recently dismantled what has been described as India’s largest movie piracy network, arresting five key members across multiple states. Speaking on September 29, then Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand revealed that the racket was responsible for leaking hundreds of films online. According to him, the Telugu Film Industry (TFI) alone suffered losses of approximately Rs 3,700 crore due to piracy in 2024, while the wider Indian film industry recorded nearly Rs 22,400 crore in losses in 2023 from pirated content circulated across theatres and OTT platforms.

Amid the crackdown, a screenshot began circulating on social media, claiming that the notorious piracy website iBomma had issued a warning to the Telangana Police. The viral image carried a lengthy message criticising film producers, high actor remunerations, overseas shootings, inflated budgets, and ticket hikes. The message concluded with a line warning: “Stop focusing on our website or I’ll have to focus on you.”

One X user shared the screenshot with the caption, “iBomma warns police. If the website is blocked, your phone numbers will be revealed says notice.” However, the claim has been debunked. Investigations reveal that the viral screenshot is not recent and dates back to 2023. It was not directed at Telangana Police but at the Telugu Film Industry. A reverse image search traced the screenshot to an older report, which detailed that iBomma had issued a warning note to film producers in September 2023, cautioning that “it will not be normal if they work against us.” At the time, the warning sparked widespread discussion, given the rarity of a piracy site openly challenging the industry.

Current checks on the iBomma website indicate that the site is not operational, and no new notices targeting Telangana Police have been issued. In conclusion, the viral posts claiming that iBomma threatened Telangana Police are false.

The screenshot circulating online is from 2023 and was aimed at the Telugu film fraternity, not law enforcement authorities. Authorities and social media users are urged to verify facts before sharing content related to ongoing cybercrime investigations.