Probe into Delhi ‘Tinder scam’ reveals elaborate racket on dating apps.
Investigation of an exorbitant ₹1.2 lakh bill faced by an IAS aspirant on a Tinder date has unearthed an organized racket targeting app users.
Police arrested cafe owner Akshay Pahwa and woman Afsan Parveen for luring the victim. It emerged that revenues were shared between masterminds, managers, and women decoys.
Accounts on forums indicate similar modus operandi in multiple cities involving inflated bills, and threats to recover amounts. Firecrackers and shots were randomly ordered to drain victims’ pockets.
Termed the “Tinder scam”, it relies on dates set up smoothly yet ending with exorbitant claims. Fearing reputational damage, most cases went unreported.
The racket thrived on multiple cafes operating under different names, with the same woman cycling through targets. Bills ranged from ₹20,000-40,000 at times.
Police are probing such app-based crimes further, warning citizens, and seeking cooperation to curb the menace. Women have also complained of robberies after inviting strangers home.
Stricter monitoring of partner establishments and profile verification have been suggested to improve safety on dating platforms frequently abused by scamsters given the limited legal recourse.
