Hyderabad Police recently uncovered a sophisticated dating scam that was being run in pubs in the city’s Madhapur area. The authorities arrested seven individuals, including six gang members from Maharashtra and one pub organizer, for duping men of a staggering Rs30 lakh over a period of 45 days. The gang targeted men using popular dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge to lure them into pubs under false pretenses.
The scam involved women being recruited by the gang and listed on various dating platforms. Once on the apps, gang members posed as potential dates and chatted with unsuspecting men. They then invited the victims to meet the women at pubs in Hyderabad, promising an evening of fun. Upon arrival, the women would order expensive food and drinks, later coercing the men into paying the entire bill. The pub owners, in on the scam, would split the payment with the gang.
The police traced the perpetrators to Nagpur, Maharashtra, and apprehended Aakash Kumar, Suraj Kumar, Akshat Narula, Tarun, Shiv Raj Nayak, and Rohith Kumar, who had previously organized similar scams in Delhi and Bengaluru. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Vineeth G, the gang specifically targeted struggling pubs with poor online ratings, where they could operate unnoticed.
Madhapur Zone Police began their investigation after receiving a complaint a week earlier, and the gang’s activities were found to have resulted in significant financial losses for the victims, with 50-60 customers duped in just 45 days. The police have since registered a case and are continuing their probe.
This case highlights the growing trend of scams being facilitated through dating apps, with fraudsters exploiting these platforms to target vulnerable individuals.