Tinder Date Scam Exposed! Man Overcharged ₹1.2 Lakh in Delhi
A Delhi boy looking for love on Tinder ended up with a massive bill. He had to pay ₹1.2 lakh at a cafe. Many are worried about online dating.
The boy is a civil service aspirant. He doesn’t want to be named. He met Versha on Tinder. They decided to meet at Black Mirror Cafe in East Delhi. It was Versa’s birthday.
They ordered some snacks and drinks at the cafe. Everything seemed normal at first. They ordered two cakes and four non-alcoholic drinks. Then Versha said she had a family emergency and left in a hurry.
After Versha left, the guy asked for the bill. He was shocked to see the amount. The bill was for ₹1,21,917.70. This was way more than what they had ordered.
The guy tried to argue with the bill. But the cafe staff didn’t listen. They threatened him and wouldn’t let him leave. He felt scared and trapped. In the end, he had to pay the full amount. He transferred the money online to one of the cafe owners.
As soon as he left the cafe, the man went to the police. He told them what happened. The police took his complaint seriously. They formed a team to investigate the case.
The police team was led by Inspector Sanjay Gupta. They quickly caught one of the cafe owners. His name is Akshay Pahwa. He’s 32 years old and lives in Shahdara, East Delhi. Akshay only studied till Class 10.
Akshay told the police about the other people involved. The cafe has three owners – Akshay, his cousin Vansh, and their friend Ansh. They have several “table managers” working for them. One of these is a man named Aryan. He’s a Class 7 dropout.
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The police also caught the woman who posed as Versha. Her real name is Afsan Parveen. She’s 25 years old and uses different names like Ayesha and Noor. When the police found her, she was on another fake date at a different cafe.
Afsan told the police how their scam works. It turns out Aryan was the one who first contacted the victim on Tinder. He pretended to be Versha and sent Afsan’s photo. Then he invited the man to the cafe.
At the cafe, Afsan met the victim. She played her part and then left, saying there was an emergency. This was all planned to leave the man alone with the huge bill.
The scammers have a system for sharing the money. Afsan gets 15% of what they charge the victims. The table managers and cafe managers split 45%. The cafe owners keep the remaining 40%.
The police say this isn’t the only scam like this. Similar tricks are happening in other big cities too. Places like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad have seen such cases. The scammers target men using dating apps.
These scams work because of teamwork between cafe owners, managers, and fake profiles. They choose their victims carefully on dating apps. Then they lure them to cafes where they overcharge for food and drinks.
If someone refuses to pay, the scammers use threats. Some victims have been beaten or kept in the cafe against their will. Many men don’t report these incidents because they feel ashamed.
The police have taken Akshay and Afsan’s phones. They also have the cafe’s records. They’re still looking for the other people involved in the scam. The investigation is ongoing.
This incident has raised concerns about online dating safety. It shows how criminals are using new technology to trick people. Dating app users are now being warned to be extra careful when meeting strangers.
Experts advise meeting new people in public places during the day. They also suggest telling a friend or family member about the date. It’s important to be cautious and trust your instincts when using dating apps.
The police are urging victims of such scams to come forward. They want to stop these criminals and make online dating safer for everyone. They’re also asking dating app companies to help prevent such incidents.
This case has started a conversation about digital safety in India. It shows that as technology changes, so do the ways criminals try to cheat people. Staying informed and alert is key to avoiding such traps in the digital age.
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