Shruti Suman
New Delhi: A recent incident in Mumbai has highlighted a growing trend of dating app scams, where unsuspecting individuals are lured into costly situations under the guise of a romantic date. In a recent case, a man was defrauded of ₹ 61,000 after meeting a match from a dating app at an upscale café.
The scam, which has become increasingly common, typically begins with a match on popular dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, or OKCupid. After a brief exchange, the scammer—posing as a genuine romantic interest—invites the victim to a high-end restaurant or club, such as The Godfather Club in Andheri West, Mumbai. Once there, the scam unfolds.
According to a social media post by activist Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, the scam operates in a predictable pattern. The scammer, usually a woman, orders expensive items such as premium liquor or hookah, which are not listed on the menu. The unsuspecting victim, eager to impress, agrees to the orders without suspecting any foul play. Shortly after, the woman leaves abruptly, often citing an emergency, leaving the victim to foot an exorbitant bill.
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Victims have reported bills ranging from ₹ 23,000 to ₹ 61,000, with some sharing photos of their receipts online. When they protest or attempt to refuse payment, they are allegedly threatened by the club’s staff or bouncers, forcing them to pay under duress.
This incident at The Godfather Club has sparked an investigation, with the establishment coming under scrutiny. However, Bhardwaj’s post suggests that this is not an isolated case. Similar scams have been reported at other venues across Mumbai, with indications of a wider network of nightclubs employing PR personnel to facilitate these fraudulent activities.
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Such scams have also been reported in other major cities, including Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. In one notable case from June, a civil service aspirant in Delhi was defrauded of ₹ 1.2 lakh in a similar scheme.
