Borivali Dating App Scam Busted; 22 Held, Including Club Manager And Six Women

In a major bust, MHB Police arrested 22 people, including six women and a club manager, for luring men via dating apps and duping them at a Borivali club. Victims were tricked into paying inflated bills, with money diverted to private accounts. The scam may be linked to similar incidents in Malad. Police warn users to stay alert on dating apps.

In a major crackdown, the MHB police have busted a dating app scam operating out of a Borivali-based club, arresting 22 people, among them six women and the club’s manager. The arrests follow an investigation that revealed how unsuspecting men were being targeted through popular dating apps.

According to the police, the accused women used platforms like Tinder to connect with men and entice them into visiting the Borivali-based club. Once there, the victims were coaxed into ordering expensive food and drinks, resulting in inflated bills. The payments, instead of going to the club’s official account, were discreetly diverted to third-party accounts linked to the scam operators.

The racket came to light after one victim realised he had been conned. He had been made to pay Rs 14,000 from a staggering bill of Rs 33,000, only to later discover that the money had not been received by the club. When he confronted the woman he had met and demanded that she share the bill, he was met with evasive responses. Recognising he had been cleverly cheated, he approached the MHB Police

Following the FIR, officers launched a probe and raided a lodge where the women involved had been residing for several months. The operation exposed the scale of the organised network. The arrests also come close on the heels of an earlier report by Mid-Day which highlighted similar tactics being used by the same club staff and a woman named in a previous FIR.

Mumbai has recently seen a spike in such dating app scams. Last month, a club in Malad was under the scanner after five victims lodged formal complaints, stating they were duped into paying hefty bills after being lured through dating apps. In an earlier case reported by Mid-Day, Mumbai Police arrested a key accused from Delhi.

Investigators are now looking into possible links between the scams in Borivali  and Malad, suspecting that the same group may be orchestrating these fraudulent schemes across different parts of the city.

In light of these incidents, the Mumbai Police have urged citizens to exercise caution when using dating apps and to be vigilant about meeting strangers in unfamiliar establishments. Officials have also assured that stern action will be taken against any businesses found exploiting dating platforms to swindle patrons, and hinted that more arrests could follow as the investigation progresses.

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