The Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested an interstate fraudster accused of cheating more than 40 women across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu through fake matrimonial profiles and false promises of marriage. The accused, identified as Vakkalagadda Sambasiva Rao, a 36-year-old resident of Panduranganagar in Guntur district, allegedly used fabricated identities to befriend women on matrimonial websites before duping them of cash and gold ornaments. Following his apprehension, local authorities have intensified their documentation review to trace the complete scope of his interstate financial extractions.
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The highly organized emotional and financial exploitation operated via a distinct four-stage extraction cycle:
The process initiated when the suspect created fake profiles on prominent matrimonial portals, falsely claiming to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a reputed media company. To project an elite social background and neutralize early consumer hesitation, he fabricated an artificial family network, claiming that his sister was well-settled in Australia and that his parents were retired senior government officials.
Using these elite credentials to build rapid credibility, he targeted vulnerable women seeking long-term marriage alliances and gradually persuaded them to trust his intentions completely. Once a deep psychological relationship was secured, the operation transitioned into capital harvesting under the guise of marriage-related expenses, before concluding with a total communication blackout.
Geographic Scope and the Mudinepalli Detection
Investigations revealed that the accused had been systematically exploiting digital platforms since 2020, targeting more than 40 women across various regional hubs including Chennai, Kodad, Jangareddygudem, and Paravada. The expansive multi-state fraud came to light after an aggrieved woman from Mudinepalli Mandal lodged an official complaint with local law enforcement. The victim detailed how Sambasiva Rao had systematically cheated her of nearly 10 sovereigns of gold and ₹1 lakh in cash after establishing a fraudulent marriage promise.
Relying on this initial report, specialized investigators analyzed technical evidence, digital communication trails, and banking records to track down and apprehend the suspect. During subsequent interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to executing identical offenses against dozens of other victims across state lines.
Material Recoveries and Digital Precautionary Directives
During the targeted arrest operation, police units recovered a significant collection of fraudulent infrastructure and siphoned assets from the suspect’s possession. The seized items included eight sovereigns of gold ornaments, six mobile phones, ten SIM cards, four bank passbooks, nine ATM cards, wedding attire, and rolled-gold jewellery allegedly utilized to impress targets, alongside a silver-coloured Maruti Suzuki Baleno car. Police are currently examining his active bank accounts, mobile transaction logs, and digital data to determine if secondary accomplices assisted in managing the fraud network.
Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said matrimonial fraud has become one of the fastest-growing forms of online financial crime, with fraudsters relying on fake identities, fabricated professions, and manipulated social profiles to establish trust. He advised individuals to independently verify a prospective partner’s identity, employment, family background, and financial claims before proceeding with any marriage proposal. He also cautioned against transferring money, handing over jewellery, or sharing banking credentials solely on the basis of online interactions. Authorities continue to urge the public to exercise strict caution on digital platforms and immediately report any suspicious behavior to the national cybercrime helpline.
