A rising wave of staged romantic encounters is ensnaring men in India’s digital dating landscape, leaving them with steep financial losses and emotional scars. From swanky restaurants in Mumbai to rooftop lounges in Thane, scammers are exploiting apps and social trust to turn dates into financial traps raising urgent questions about safety, stigma, and accountability in the country’s online dating culture.
A Pricey Date Night Turns Sour
On a humid Friday in Mumbai, 32-year-old Devrit (name changed) thought he had found someone special. His date persuaded him to meet at an upscale restaurant in Andheri. Over cocktails, starters, and desserts, the evening seemed smooth until the bill landed at more than ₹18,000. Before Devrit could process it, his companion excused herself for a phone call and vanished, leaving him humiliated and out of pocket.
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A week later in Thane, 28-year-old Tanayush matched with a woman on a popular dating app. She suggested a rooftop lounge and encouraged expensive orders. By night’s end, he was coerced into paying ₹22,000 for dishes he barely touched. Friends later revealed the restaurant’s reputation for partnering with such scams using fake dates to lure unsuspecting men into overspending.
These incidents are not isolated. Instead, they reflect a growing pattern of “romance traps” where men, lured by the promise of companionship, find themselves victims of financial manipulation.
Platforms Under Pressure
The trend has caught the attention of dating platforms, now central to India’s Gen Z and millennial social lives. Apps are facing mounting pressure to safeguard users from fraud. Some have introduced safety advisories, scam alerts, and stricter checks on suspicious behavior.
Experts have acknowledged the scale of the challenge: “We take all forms of fraudulent activity seriously, including scams reported in India. Safeguards such as stricter verification systems, government ID checks, and active account monitoring are being expanded to weed out fake profiles.”
Other platforms are experimenting with AI-driven red-flag detection, smarter moderation, and stronger privacy protections. Quack Quack, for instance, now masks phone numbers and bars users from creating new accounts if flagged for suspicious activity. Still, experts warn that scammers often adapt faster than safeguards evolve.
Stigma Keeps Victims Silent
Despite these measures, the true scale of the problem remains hidden. Lawyers and psychologists note that many victims especially men avoid reporting scams due to fear of ridicule or social stigma. Admitting to being duped on a date often invites judgment, leading many to absorb the financial loss silently.
This silence creates fertile ground for scammers. With few victims coming forward, perpetrators operate with impunity. Experts warn that unchecked, such scams could proliferate further, blurring the line between genuine relationships and manipulative schemes.
Source: Social Media