Mumbai, September 18: Dating app scams are on the rise, and a recent case in Mumbai highlights the growing threat. A 46-year-old businessman was duped out of INR 2.14 crore by two women he met on different dating apps. The first woman, Carmen Anita, lured him into investing in cryptocurrency, while the second, Sharika Singh, persuaded him to put money into foreign exchange trading. Both promised substantial returns, but the investments turned out to be elaborate frauds.

As reported by the Times of India, the case began when the victim met Carmen Anita on a dating app earlier this year in March. Anita convinced him to invest in cryptocurrency trading, assuring him of significant returns. She provided a weblink via WhatsApp to create a trading account, and the businessman deposited INR 17 lakh into a designated bank account. Initially, he saw a balance of USD 20,000 in his trading account, which further built his trust. Tinder Dating Scam: Mumbai Police File FIR Against Fraudsters Who Duped Techie Allegedly in Collusion With Godfather Club in Andheri West.

However, when he attempted to withdraw his funds later in May, he was informed he needed to pay 30 per cent of his profits as capital gains tax. Despite depositing an additional INR 20.8 lakh, he could not access his money. As per the report, the situation escalated in April when the businessman encountered Sharika Singh on a different dating app. Singh encouraged him to invest in foreign exchange trading, sending him another weblink to set up an account. He deposited INR 40,000 and saw a balance of USD 500. Tinder, Happn Dating App Scam in Mumbai: Is The Red Room in Andheri West New Location for Modus Operandi? Men Lose INR 23K to 43K After Getting Conned by Women They Matched Online (See Viral Post).

Similar to the previous scam, Singh and her accomplices demanded more money to facilitate withdrawals, claiming a USD 35,000 capital gains tax and later a 12 per cent exchange fee. Despite depositing nearly INR 28.6 lakh, he was unable to retrieve his funds. As reported by the Times of India, the businessman eventually realised he had been defrauded when neither platform allowed him to withdraw his investments.

He reported the scam to the Central Cyber Police Station in Worli, revealing that he had lost over INR 1 crore in cryptocurrency and INR 1.14 crore in foreign exchange investments. The FIR has led to a formal investigation into the elaborate scheme perpetrated by individuals he met through dating apps.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2024 04:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).