Men called to cafes for dates, made to pay inflated food bills: New ‘dating app scam’ in town

Police said they have received at least 5-10 complaints in West and East Delhi and are in touch with officials from different dating apps to check IDs and details of the women involved.

However, they underlined several challenges in such cases.

A senior police officer, who requested not to be named, said, “We have received several requests and complaints online about such cases. We are checking them, but immediate arrests can’t be made since the men paid the bill of their own will. Also, the criminality for hiking prices isn’t arrest. Such cases can be pursued in court.”

Investigators told The Indian Express that while none of the women have been identified yet, they aren’t using fake credentials and had only “blocked” the victim, which isn’t a crime.

“The incidents are complex… The only crime here is the inflated bill. Unlike other scams, persons involved aren’t hiding under fake names, committing forgery, or robbing money from an account. They simply push the person to pay more. Most complainants don’t fight about the bill at the restaurant and later realise they’ve been scammed,” said the officer.

What complainants say

Speaking to The Indian Express, the man who was assaulted said he had met a woman, ‘Riya’, on a dating app. “She claimed she was a DU student and we started talking over the phone. Three-four days later, she called me to a café in Preet Vihar… she was very different in person. She asked for a hookah and two wine cocktails, which I ordered… When I asked for the bill, I was shocked to see it was Rs 10,000… The waiters started harassing me. Riya also refused to help… she shouted at me and even slapped me,” he alleged.

In the next 10-15 minutes, he was allegedly taken to an isolated spot by bouncers, sexually assaulted, and robbed.

A 27-year-old man from Noida also alleged he lost more than Rs 11,000 at a West Delhi café in August. He said, “I met a woman online… she asked to meet me and picked a place… she ordered two vodka drinks and chicken pasta. We later ordered two more drinks. The bill, to my shock, was around Rs 11,000… I asked the woman to come to the counter with me but she refused and stood up to leave… The staff was rude and pushed me to pay the bill. I had to ask a friend to send the money,” he said.

The man said he hasn’t told his family about this since he recently got a job and lost money. He also alleged the woman later blocked him. The man has filed a complaint on the cyber crime reporting portal and is awaiting the FIR. Police said they are processing the complaint.

Police said another complaint was received from a Delhi-based journalist who alleged on social media that he lost more than Rs 15,000 on a date. He has refused to comment on the matter.