India has seen a sharp increase in the number of online dating scams cases in recent months. Scammers are utilizing innovative techniques to deceive people and are utilizing nearly every internet platform to lure helpless people. Including UPI apps, travel websites, YouTube, Instagram, Telegram, and more. That’s not it, though. These con artists are now targeting victims on dating and matrimony websites, and this time around, their demands go beyond simple clicks on links or completion of online chores.
According to reports, con artists use dating and marriage websites to lure unsuspecting victims into their love traps before demanding money under the guise of delivering pricey presents. According to reports, 66% of Indian adults have fallen prey to an online dating or romance scam, with victims losing an average of Rs 7,966.
Government Warns
The scam is growing so common that the Ministry of Finance has released a warning about matrimonial dating scams. The ministry claims that con artists are increasingly picking on Indians by asking the victim to pay customs duty in order to get pricey presents given by their “friends or lover” they met online or “matches” from matrimonial websites.
The ministry has requested people to be aware of this con and has warned them about it. Additionally, the government has made it clear that no representative from the Indian Customs Department phones or SMSs individuals to request payment of customs tax in personal accounts.
“Watch out for con artists demanding money under the guise of Indian Customs! When paying customs duty in a personal bank account, Indian Customs never calls or texts. According to the official advice on X (formerly Twitter). “All correspondence from Indian Customs have a DIN which can be confirmed on the CBIC website.
Additionally, the warning urged people to use extreme caution and cynicism when dating online. They also advise people not to disclose their financial and personal information to strangers on social platforms. The government strives to provide citizens with the information they need to defend themselves from falling victim to such fraudulent actions by increasing awareness of the scam’s methodology.
What is a dating or matrimonial scam?
Scammers construct phony profiles on dating websites for matrimonial or dating scams in order to influence their victims’ emotions and finances. These con artists use various techniques to deceive those who are vulnerable and trusting, taking advantage of them.
This deception usually begins with the con artist engaging the victim in private chats to develop an emotional connection. Once a connection has been made. The con artist would next ask the victim for money while claiming that they have an emergency. Need to pay for a vacation or have bogus investment prospects.
Many people in India have reportedly been duped into sending money to strangers they met online. Whom they believed to be their friends or romantic partners.
Dating Scams Reports
A woman from Kerala was conned out of Rs 8 lakh in one of the most recent cases to be recorded by a person she befriended on Facebook. Everything started when she began corresponding with a person who introduced themselves as her buddy from the UK. The con artist gradually revealed information about an expensive present he had allegedly bought for her over the course of a few weeks.
She was reluctant to reveal her mailing address at first, but the con artist persisted and eventually won her over. She received a call shortly after notifying her that customs had delayed the gift delivery.
The woman was told to make a money transfer to a particular account in order to release the package. She then received several calls, each requesting that she pay a different sum of money. The con artist claimed that the package contained an iPhone and 40 lakh rupees.
She eventually recognized she had been duped. She attempted to contact her “Facebook friend” about the matter. But he ignored her and indicated that he didn’t want to be bothered.
Be First to Comment