- A Mumbai man lost Rs 21.5 lakh in a cyber fraud via a dating app Bumble
- The victim was introduced to fake online trading promising high returns
- He invested Rs 50,000 initially, then transferred Rs 21.5 lakh in total
What started with a simple swipe on a dating app turned into a costly mistake for a Mumbai man, who ended up losing over Rs 20 lakh in an alleged cyber fraud and honeytrap racket.
A 38-year-old interior designer from Mumbai's Byculla was duped of Rs 21.5 lakh by cyber fraudsters who lured him through the dating app Bumble and later trapped him with the promise of lucrative returns from online trading.
The central region cyber police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
Conversation Begins On Bumble, Moves To WhatsApp
According to police, the victim met an unidentified woman on the Bumble dating app. Initially, the two interacted on the app itself. Gradually, the woman gained the victim's trust, and their conversations shifted from Bumble to Telegram and then to WhatsApp.
Once she had earned the victim's confidence, the woman introduced him to online share and forex trading, claiming that he could earn heavy profits in a short period.
She advised him to invest through a platform named 'Darwinex' and assured him of high returns.
From Rs 50,000 To Rs 21.5 Lakh Transfers
Believing her claims, the victim made an initial investment of Rs 50,000 on April 1. After seeing apparent profits on a fake dashboard, he was encouraged to invest more. Over the next few weeks, the fraudsters convinced him to transfer larger sums, including Rs 10 lakh and Rs 11 lakh.
In total, the victim transferred Rs 21.5 lakh in multiple transactions to different bank accounts provided by the accused.
After making the investments, the victim checked his account dashboard, which showed a profit of around Rs 69 lakh.
However, when he tried to withdraw the money, the fraudsters told him that he first had to pay a 30% advance tax on the total amount.
When the accused continued to demand more money instead of allowing withdrawals, the victim grew suspicious. Realising he had been cheated, he contacted the cybercrime helpline and lodged a complaint.
Based on his complaint, the central region cyber police have registered a case under relevant sections and begun a detailed probe.
Police are examining the bank accounts and digital transactions involved and are also tracing the fake woman's social media profiles.
(With inputs from Rizwan Sheikh)
