A man from Delhi was recently fooled in a dating scam, leading to the arrest of eight people in Ghaziabad. It all started on October 21 when he got a message on WhatsApp inviting him on a date. He was told to meet the woman at Kaushambi metro station, and she then took him to a place called Tiger Cafe inside Kaushambi Hotel. The man began to feel something was wrong because the cafe had no online information or even a sign outside.

Man shared his information with friend

To stay safe, the man shared his live location with a friend and sent him a message. His fears turned real when, after having just one cold drink, he was given a bill of ₹16,400. When he refused to pay, he was reportedly stopped and pressured to pay ₹50,000 in order to leave.

Police find organised scam

Fortunately, the man’s friend quickly told the local police about what was happening. The police responded right away and found a scam run by five women and three men. This group used dating apps to trick people. They would invite men to the cafe, charge them very high prices for food or drinks, and then force them to pay a large amount. Men were not allowed to leave until they agreed to pay the money.

The police arrested all eight people involved. Four of them are from Delhi and have profiles on several dating apps. These people used the apps to reach out to possible victims, convincing them to meet at the same place where they would then overcharge and threaten them for money.

An FIR, or First Information Report, has been registered because the victim complained about the scam. The police are still looking into the case. ACP Swatantra Singh from Indirapuram said, “We are taking more steps to handle this.”

How can you stay safe from scammers?

Don’t trust scammers, whether they are boys or girls. Always research before taking action. The man did the right thing by telling his friend. Share your live location with family and friends if you’re in danger, and contact nearby police for an instant report.