Dating apps offer a convenient way to connect with people who share similar interests, potentially leading to romantic relationships. However, there's a darker side to this convenience—dating scams. Lawyer and activist Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj recently highlighted a scam that has affected 12 victims.
She wrote, “MUMBAI DATING SCAM EXPOSE. THE GODFATHER CLUB ANDHERI WEST. BRAZEN SCAMMING EVERYDAY. 12 victims in touch. Trap laid through Tinder, Bumble. Bill amounts 23K- 61K. 3 men trapped by the same girl.”
She shared several bills revealing the amounts some of the men paid, including an invoice of Rs 61,743. The bill details four items, with two cocktails costing Rs 5,000 each. She also posted follow-up updates discussing the scam further and naming the club where it is taking place.
Take a look at the post:
With more than four million views, the post has gone viral on social media and sparked a range of comments from users.
A user on X shared his detailed opinion on the incident, discussing it extensively., he said, “How is this a scam? People are themselves paying to maybe impress the girl or what not. While she’s ordering the man has the choice to either clarify who will be paying or directly say - I can’t afford more than 2 drinks. But then that takes away the masculinity and chivalry. Person A meets Person B in the pursuit of getting something back. Person B taking advantage of their no rational thinking does this. People don’t make you a fool, you already are a fool, and people just take advantage of that.”
A second user commented, “My friend also got scammed here. Hope police will take some action against the restaurant,” while a third user wrote, “I know a friend who got scammed. Same way, maybe same place and I suppose same girl or some other. but this is happening all over Mumbai, pan-India.”
How the scams took place:
In a follow-up post, Deepika Narayan revealed the scammers' tactics: they start by connecting through a dating app and then quickly arrange an in-person meeting. The meet-up typically takes place at Pizza Express or Metro. During the meeting, they insist on ordering drinks, hookah, and fire shots without showing a menu. The bill accumulates to thousands of rupees within an hour. After the meal, the scammer disappears, and if the bill isn't paid, bouncers threaten or physically confront the man.
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