Man falls prey to online dating scam in Ghaziabad, forced to shell out ₹34,000 cafe bill
- The victim was tricked into paying an exorbitant bill of ₹34,397 for snacks. Before he could get any hint or realise what had happened to him, the woman left, and he had to deal with the hefty bill.
Nowadays, people go online to manage their ordinary daily tasks, from mundane activities to social arrangements. From ordering food to finding a soulmate, the internet is helping people pursue the everyday pleasures of life. However, exploring these new avenues can sometimes land people in a pickle.
Recently, a youth from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad fell victim to a dating scam after meeting a woman on an online matrimonial platform.
According to a News18 report, the woman invited the young man to a well-known cafe, and he was tricked into paying an exorbitant bill of ₹34,397 for snacks. Before the man could get any hint or realise what had happened to him, the woman left, and he had to deal with the hefty bill.
The man reportedly also had to face the cafe staff's rash behaviour.
These new scams are becoming popular and serve as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking on online dating and matrimonial platforms.
Here are some tips to protect yourself from these scams:
1) Verify the prospective profile: Before going on a date with someone you met online, it's essential to check their profile for authenticity. Using Google Reverse Image Search, LinkedIn, and other platforms will help you determine whether the person is real or fake.
2) Never send money to someone you never met.
3) Keep your personal information private, like your home address, salary, or financial situation.
4) Meet in public places: Try to meet the prospective date only at public places.
5) Use mutual connections for validation.
It is not just financial scams that can bring trouble to unsuspecting victims. Recently, a Reddit user shared her experience of a date in Bengaluru. The user, who goes by the handle “hustlegurrl” on the platform, described how she got “AI’d” on her date.
She went on a date, filled with excitement. This person had previously kept her entertained with their conversations before they actually met.
On their date, she eagerly anticipated the same lively online conversations. However, she was surprised to find that he was very different in person than online.
His sentences were clumsy, not from shyness but from an overwhelming confidence lacking the charm and wit she had admired before.
He extensively discussed the AI tools he was using, showing off his expertise. However, he accidentally mentioned that he had used AI to improve his texts to her.
According to the user's post, she quickly realised that his charming and clever texts were actually enhanced by AI, which was a stark contrast to his less impressive face-to-face communication.
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Business NewsNewsTrendsMan falls prey to online dating scam in Ghaziabad, forced to shell out ₹34,000 cafe bill
First Published:12 Dec 2024, 03:26 PM IST
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