Dating Scam: Visakhapatnam Engineer Scammed of INR 28 Lakhs by Fake Profiles; Police Identify One Suspect
An engineer in Visakhapatnam, lost ₹28 lakhs to a dating scam involving fake profiles. Police have identified one suspect but are still searching for the other accomplices.
Visakhapatnam, July 30: An engineer from Visakhapatnam was recently duped for INR 28 lakhs after being scammed on a dating app. Cybercriminals targeted the single mechanical engineer, using fake dating profiles to form romantic relationships with him. Three men deceived the engineer into sending them money by creating a fake profile. The police have identified one of the scammers while looking for the other two.
According to a report by the Times of India, fraudsters from Telangana expertly exploited the victim's emotions, persuading him to send substantial amounts of money under false pretences. The police have identified one suspect, Kommagoni Lokesh, and are searching for his two accomplices. New Dating App Scam: Men Being Tricked Into Paying Huge Restaurant Bills by Online Match on Tinder, Bumble, and Other Apps, Know Modus Operandi, and How to Avoid Getting Scammed.
Inspector K Bhavani Prasad told TOI that this dating scam represents a new form of fraud where cyber criminals craft fake profiles featuring attractive women on dating websites or apps to lure unsuspecting men. Once they establish contact, the imposters engage in frequent, intimate communication to build trust and emotional connections with their targets. Tinder, Happn Dating App Scam in Mumbai: Is the Red Room in Andheri West a New Location for Modus Operandi? Men Lose INR 23K to 43K After Getting Conned by Women They Matched Online (See Viral Post).
Subsequently, cybercriminals concoct compelling stories to solicit money. In addition to using fake narratives for extortion, they resort to blackmail by threatening to release personal information and compromising photos shared during the relationship. Several victims have reported significant financial losses due to this scam.
In July 2024, another dating scam emerged, with numerous individuals falling prey to online dating fraud. Unlike previous cases, these scammers—dubbed "Food Diggers" by netizens—manipulated their victims into covering hefty restaurant bills.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 30, 2024 04:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).