WhatsApp Dating Scam: How A Bengaluru Man Lost Rs 32 Lakh To Fake High-Profile Matches

A 63-year-old resident of Horamavu in East Bengaluru has lost Rs 32 lakh in a WhatsApp-based dating scam that reportedly lasted more than a month. The fraud began in early September and continued until mid-October before the man realised he had been duped. The case was registered with the East CEN Crime Police on October 23. Also Read: You Can Now Use WhatsApp On Apple Watch! No iPhone Needed; Here's How To Use

How the Fraud Took Place

According to a report by The Times of India, the victim received a call from a person claiming to work for a private dating agency that offered connections with “high-profile” women. The caller asked him to pay a registration fee of Rs 1,950 to activate his membership. Trusting the proposal, the man made the payment through an online transfer. Also Read: How To Mute Notifications For One Chat On WhatsApp

Soon after, he received pictures of three women on WhatsApp and was asked to choose one. He selected a woman who introduced herself as Ritika. The two began chatting regularly, and over time, she gained his trust.

Before the Dussehra festival, Ritika told him she was travelling to her hometown and connected him with another person named Priti, who said she would coordinate their meeting. Over the following weeks, Priti and others asked the victim to transfer multiple payments described as “service charges,” “processing fees,” and “meeting arrangements.” Each time he made a payment, he was told there were more charges pending.

By the time the man grew suspicious, he had transferred over Rs 32 lakh to different bank accounts. When he refused to send more money, the fraudsters allegedly began threatening him with legal consequences. Realising he had been scammed, he filed a police complaint.

Police Investigation

The East CEN Crime Police have filed a case under the Information Technology Act and Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officers said the investigation is underway to trace the people behind the scam. They also urged the public to be cautious while using social media or dating platforms, and to avoid sharing personal or bank details with unknown contacts.