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Bengaluru Man Loses Rs 32 Lakh in WhatsApp ‘High-Society’ Dating Scam as Police Open Case

Police warn that WhatsApp romance cons start with small fees and emotional grooming before escalating into repeated payments.

Overview

  • Investigators say a 63-year-old from Horamavu was targeted between September 5 and October 18 and filed a complaint on October 23 with the East CEN Crime Police.
  • The victim was first asked to pay about Rs 1,950 to join an alleged elite dating service and was sent photos before selecting a woman identifying herself as Ritika.
  • A contact calling herself Priti then appeared as a coordinator, and the victim was told to cover processing, service, membership, travel and legal charges, sending roughly Rs 32.2 lakh to multiple accounts.
  • When he refused further transfers, the fraudsters threatened legal action, prompting him to approach the police.
  • A case is registered under the Information Technology Act and Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, with officials urging reports via cybercrime.gov.in and investigators tracing the money flow.